


Life's Choices

by 22_Ti



Series: Decisions [2]
Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Grammy Awards, Music, bechloe - Freeform, staubrey - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-06-07 21:36:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 94,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15228372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/22_Ti/pseuds/22_Ti
Summary: Sequel to Garbage Collector. This picks up at the Grammys and follows both couples as they wind their way through the next twenty years of their lives. Some choices are easy to make while others may drastically change their lives forever. Domestic Bechloe and Staubrey AU





	1. Grammy After Party

_It was time for Song of the Year. The camera panned to Beca and Chloe twice, once for each nomination. All the small brunette could do was to stare at her girlfriend and think how lucky she was to have such a gorgeous, incredible, loving woman in her life. If it weren't for the redhead's scream, she would have never noticed the announcement._

_"This year's Grammy for Song of the Year goes to_ Wolves _, songwriter Beca Mitchell."_

Theo and Chloe both leapt to their feet clapping furiously. Because of her previous award, the people seated around Beca now knew who she was and were congratulating the stunned songwriter as cameras caught the shocked look on the winner's face. Theo pulled her to her feet and prodded her towards the stage where her award was waiting. She looked back at her friend, waiting for him to follow. He shook his head and motioned for her to go alone, indicating he was not joining her on this trip. The tiny songwriter concentrated on her breathing while she walked down the slope towards the stage as she also focused on not falling off her heels.

When she safely made it to the podium and turned to face the crowd, she felt fortunate that she could not see the faces of more than the first few rows of people. She pulled the microphone down her to level, giving herself a few moments to gather her composure as she looked at the award in awe. "Umm thanks. I can't believe I'm here, wow. I mean, I've only ever watched this ceremony on television and to receive two of these incredible honors my first time here in person, I feel quite blessed. First I'd like to give mention to my mother." She kissed her fingertips, pointed upwards and looked towards the ceiling.

"I know if she were still with us that she'd be the proudest person in the room. Thank you to Theo Davies who encouraged me to jump into the business feet first. I'd also like to thank Selena Gomez and her production team at Interscope Records for taking the time to truly understand the meaning behind the words to this song so in order to sing it with the heart it so deserves. And finally, to my beautiful Chloe for giving me such amazing inspiration to write my music and for never giving up on me and never letting me give up on myself. I love you Chloe."

Luckily there were attendants to help Beca off stage because she could barely see for the tears that were flowing down her face. She kept her back to the cameras and people as the make-up women gave her time to compose herself and retouch her make up. By this time, Theo had made it backstage, and Beca clung to him tightly. She had countless pictures taken and received many congratulations before they made their way back to their seats.

As they sat down, Chloe latched on to Beca's neck and was weeping openly into her shoulder. "I am so proud of you, Grasshopper." As tightly as Chloe held on to her girlfriend, Beca was holding on just as resolutely to ensure she didn't lose grip on her one connection to her stability. The brunette did not trust her words and was satisfied to sit silently and watch the rest of the show.

Soon the last of the awards had been given out and the last song performed. Beca's energy was categorically drained and could not wait to get back to their hotel so she could see Stacie and Aubrey. While Chloe was still running on a full load of adrenaline, Beca was absolutely exhausted.

As they waited on their limo, Theo was overly chipper himself. "Okay Becs, now you get to see how the other side lives." Theo grinned at his tiny friend. "You have instantly moved into the realm of becoming a household name and a hot commodity in the music industry." She looked at her British friend questioningly. "Next step is mastering the Grammy after party." She dramatically slumped back in her seat and gave an exaggerated sigh. "They are fun; I promise. You are going to have to learn to play with the big boys and girls little bit."

"Yeah but I'm stuck in these heels all night. Do you know how hard it is to walk in these?" Beca made a horrible face as she whined and pointed to the pink pumps she'd been forced to wear by Hailee's fashion consultant.

Theo chuckled as he responded. "Actually, you aren't 'stuck' in those clothes. Waiting in your hotel room are four outfits, one for you and for each of your friends. They are a bit more comfortable, yet still suitable for rubbing elbows with the biggest names in music."

Beca sat straight up in her chair, a slight bit of excitement now visible in her otherwise exhausted face. "Four of us? Stacie and Aubrey can come?" Theo nodded. "There is so much beauty and class between all of you, it was never a question. Besides, inviting them will make ensure you go to the parties! You may have a lot of sway with Red here, but I don't think Aubrey, or even Stacie for that matters, will let you skip out. Anyway, their driver is letting them know to meet you in your room. I'm sure they just think it's for celebratory drinks."

* * *

When Beca and Chloe got to the hotel, Stacie and Aubrey were indeed waiting in their room. No sooner did the tiny award winner walk through the door did her tall bestie swoop her off her feet and swing her around the room. Aubrey swallowed Chloe in a colossal hug, and all the friends were soon crying at the enormity of the evening's events. "Dizzy Legs. Dizzy." Beca tapped her friend on the arm to be let down.

"Where are they? I want to see. I get to touch an actual Grammy!" Stacie's excitement was that of a child. Beca explained that place holder trophies were used at the ceremony, and the real awards would be delivered after they had been engraved. Meanwhile Chloe had found the bottle of chilled champagne that had been waiting for them. After popping the top on the bubbly, everyone soon had a glass in their hand making toasts to Beca.

"How'd you like the show Bree?" Beca gave the blonde a soft shoulder check. "Sorry I didn't thank either of you. In my mind, I was planning to. Wait, no, that's a lie because I never expected to be up there; so honestly, my mind was blank." Her friends assured her the speech was perfect.

"As were the tickets Mitchell. Thanks again."

Stacie threw her tall, lanky body onto one of the couches in Beca's suite. "So midget, you got yourself two Grammys. I knew you could do it. The question now is, what's the plan for tonight?" She motioned to Aubrey and Chloe. "You two got to play in New York lots when you came shopping. You need to show us the town." Stacie excitedly rubbed her hands together thinking about the City that Never Sleeps.

Chloe had found the new clothes bags which had been left in their room and handed Aubrey two, one for herself and one for Stacie. "First change clothes. Theo has assured me that the digs will fit perfectly and be exactly your style." They both looked at her strangely, not quite understanding where the conversation was going.

Beca had since caught her second wind and was pumped to experience the glamor with her friends. She jumped up on the couch and started bouncing. "Because this… is New York, and apparently we can't be seen in the same outfit twice. We, my friends, are going to the Grammy after-parties." She knew Aubrey was going to flip out, but she never expected Stacie to be screaming right along beside her.

* * *

First stop was Universal Music Group's bash. Chloe immediately dragged Beca over to the make-your-own-cookie bar to scarf down some sweet yummies of their own creation. "Babe, don't you think we need real food first? All this sugar is going to go right to your head." Chloe obstinately refused to budge from the sweet confectionary table as she built a huge stack for herself and Beca to share while Stacie did the same for Aubrey and herself. Despite Beca's sugar high warning, Chloe's cookie contraption was devoured in a matter of seconds.

As the women wandered around, they spotted a new star every step along the way. Beca had grown accustomed to running into random musicians in her limited work in Los Angeles. What she wasn't used to was having famous singers and producers approaching her with congratulations. Her girlfriend and friends certainly weren't accustomed to it but were trying to keep calm so as to not embarrass Beca. Somehow the other Atlanta girls charmed their way into almost all the selfies with Beca. They were going to be the talk of the town with their friends back home.

The women then wandered around until they found the food pavilion with the various stations to include Spanish Harlem, Chinatown, and Brooklyn's Williamsburg food district. Beca couldn't recall the last good meal she had eaten because of her nervous stomach, so having unlimited food access, especially this high quality, was heaven. She piled her plate high with all types of excellent bite.

The situation was quite humorous though since it seemed as though every time the new Grammy winner would put a huge bite into her mouth, someone else would be coming up to congratulate her on her wins. Eventually Chloe leaned over and whispered into her ear, "Take smaller bites baby."

Beca mumbled through her again stuffed mouth. "But I'm hungry."

* * *

 

The live music by top pop artists was heaven for the two couples, not only for the dancing but also for the mini-concert nature of the evening. Granted NYC one of the most progressive places in America, the reaction to see four beautiful women dancing together was unique. Rarely, one of the couples would break off and dance with someone else, and even then, it would only be for a very short time. By now, most of the party attendees had realized who Beca Mitchell was and that the redhead attached to arm was her girlfriend. However, the connection between Beca and the blonde and taller brunette had yet to be made.

At one point, a drunken man approached Aubrey with a drink and insisted she join him on the dance floor. Despite adamantly refusing, the man continued to persist beyond the point of being acceptable. While it was almost humorous at first since Aubrey Posen could definitely hold her own, the situation eventually became tiresome, and Stacie decided to step in and save the blonde. She stood tall between her girlfriend and the intruder.

He looked her up and down. "May I help you?" His slurred words exhibited the level of his intoxication as he stumbled backwards a bit as Stacie bumped her chest against his.

"Yeah. You can leave the lady alone." The man made the mistake of trying to push around Stacie to get between her and Aubrey. Luckily Stacie was not drunk and was able to keep her cool.

She slipped her badge out of her pocket, waved it in front of his eyes then pressed it against the side of his face. She spoke softly and firmly right in his ear. "Look mister. I'm not sure who you are or what label you work with, but this here says that you will calmly step away from my  _girlfriend_  and leave her alone before we have a problem." His face blanched as he stumbled backwards from Stacie. He rushed away but not before offering profuse apologies to the tall blonde.

A laughing Theo came over and clapped Stacie on the shoulder. "Well done my friend. That guy is a such creep. Nobody is really sure who he is, but somehow he makes it on some label's list to get into this party every year."

* * *

Soon night turned to dawn turned to morning before the four women dragged themselves back to Beca and Chloe's room. Beca disappeared into their ensuite and quickly came out clothed in a t-shirt and sweats. She threw herself over the couch with her legs over the back and head hanging off the front. When Chloe came out, she flopped down on the couch with her head on Beca's stomach.

"We are going to head back to our room guys." Aubrey looked at her friends, knowing that everyone was exhausted. "Breakfast tomorrow?"

Beca checked the time on her phone. "Breakfast? Bree, it's 4 am! How about lunch? Let us know when you guys get up."

As Stacie and Aubrey headed out of Beca's suite, the musician of the night said, "Hey guys." Both women stopped, turned, and looked questioningly at Beca. "I'm glad you got to share this with us. It means a lot to me. Thanks." Afraid she'd start crying, Stacie didn't say anything to her best friend. She just flashed a huge smile, and her girlfriend dragged her out of the room.

* * *

Chloe her head over on Beca's lap and buried her face into her t-shirt. "Grasshopper?" Beca began to run her fingers through the locks auburn hair of her beloved. "How ya doing?" She lifted the new Grammy winner's shirt up a bit and nuzzled her face against Beca's warm skin, kissing her stomach softly.

"Mmmm great, Chlo. Long as you keep doing that." Beca brushed her girlfriend's hair away from her face to run her fingers across Chloe's face. The two enjoyed the quiet of each other's company for a bit. "Why don't we go to bed before we fall asleep on this couch… as comfy as it may be."

Chloe sat up then crawled over closer to Beca. "Have I told you how proud I am of you, babe?"

"Only a hundred times." She leaned over and kissed Chloe.

"Then I'll make it a hundred and one. I. Am. So. Proud. I used to tell Aubrey my goal in life was for you to find your music again, your soul, your passion."

Beca pulled Chloe in and hugged her tightly. "Guess you have to set a new goal then, hmmm?"

"That's what Bree said." Chloe made it to her feet and stretched out her hand to Beca's. "Let's go babe." She wrapped her hand around Beca's wrist and pulled her to her feet and into her. Together they made their way to the bedroom.

* * *

As the couple snuggled under the covers, Beca curled herself behind Chloe, kissing the back of her neck as she slipped her hands beneath her girlfriend's shirt. She pulled at the article of clothing until she freed the taller woman from the shirt. Beca tugged Chloe's arm so that she faced her and softly kissed her. The gentleness of her lips' caress was enough to make Chloe tremble.

"What was that for?" the redhead asked, her eyes widening with surprise. "Not that I'm complaining."

"Just because," Chloe's soft skin was glowing as Beca realized how much she longed for her lover. "Because without you, I wouldn't have found my music again. Because being out tonight was torture since all I could do was to think of touching you, feeling you, kissing you in ways not suitable for public eyes. Because Chloe Beale, I love you."

"Hmmmm Ms. Mitchell, aren't you the charmer? Would it help if I told you I'm aching for you?" Chloe's voice was but a whisper.

Sliding her hands down to the crook of Chloe's elbows, Beca breathed into her ear. "Are you now?" The shivers from Beca's heated breath excited her. The answer was evident. The brunette ran her tongue down Chloe's neck, gently biting her skin as she dug her fingers into Beca's back.

The songwriter slid her arms beneath her arms to the small of her back, pulling into her as she began to suck firmly on Chloe's neck. Without releasing, Beca drew her mouth firmly up Chloe's taut neck to find her mouth. Chloe's body melted into Beca's as they kissed a deep, long lasting kiss. "I love to kiss you," Beca whispered into her mouth as she quickly shed her own shirt.

"I love for you to kiss me," she replied. "I adore our slow, soul-inflicting kisses, ones that last for eternity."

Beca raked her tongue against Chloe's, sucking on her lip. Pulling her closer, Beca brushed her breasts against Chloe's and knew that she ached to touch them. But she also knew Chloe wouldn't in order to preserve the kiss.

She slid her hands up to hold Chloe's face, pulling her yet closer, then sliding her fingers to the back of her head slightly tugging on her hair. Beca ran her hands back down Chloe's arms, against tingled skin to grasp her wrists. Beca captured Chloe's tongue again and locked Chloe's wrists above her head, away to make sure she could not touch because if she did… she'd find out just how wet their make out session had her.

"I want you Beca," she gasped, "bad."

"Mmmmm Chlo. Lunch comes early babe. All I wanted was a kiss." She lay there and stared at her girlfriend a bit. Then lay her head on Chloe's chest. Beca's grip loosened on Chloe's wrists as her body relaxed.

"Beca? Beca!" Chloe shook her girlfriend who wasn't moving. "Oh my god. Seriously? You went to sleep? I'm so going to kill you for this when we get up."

* * *


	2. New York, New York

Light was shining directly into Beca's eyes when she finally struggled into the realm of consciousness after a few hours of sleep. Her body protested as she labored to stretch out her limbs in an effort to regain sufficient circulation to become mobile. She raised her one free hand to her face to rub the sleep from her eyes as her other arm was pinned beneath Chloe. Beca wriggled closer to the red head, closing the gap between their bodies as she nuzzled her face in her girlfriend's red locks.

Chloe gave a disgruntled noise that sounded something like harrumph as she scooted a fraction of a bit away from Beca. Thinking the redhead was still asleep and exhausted from the night before, Beca again moved forward and pulled Chloe back into her chest. This time she moved the red hair aside and began to kiss Chloe's neck. This time, the sound emitting from her girlfriend's throat was one of definite disapproval.

As Beca tried to turn Chloe over to face her, Chloe resisted and growled. "I'm mad at you."

After thinking for a moment and realizing why Chloe could possibly be upset, Beca chuckled. "That's fair Bug. But I couldn't help myself. I was soooo tired last night." She pulled the arm beneath Chloe out a smidge so she could use both hands to turn Chloe to face her, but the red head still refused. Beca's next tactic was to move her hands to Chloe's waist to start off with a warning tickle.

"No!" Chloe began squealing then squirming to try to get away from the brunette. What she failed to realize was that the wriggling only made it easier for Beca to flip her over. Once that task was successfully completed, Beca straddled her girlfriend, pinned Chloe with her knees, and leaned over to shower kisses over her face, neck, and throat.

"Still no? Want me to stop?" Beca loved teasing her adorably beautiful partner, particularly when she was grumpy which wasn't very often as Chloe was the epitome of sunshine and rainbows captured in human form.

"Becaaaaaaaaa," Chloe was whining, trying to keep a crabby tone in her voice but not quite being successful. She slid her hands under the t-shirt Beca had slept in and ran her hands over the brunette's soft skin, lightly tickling Beca's sides with light touches. The shorter woman dropped her body on top of Chloe and found her lips for a gentle, more luxurious kiss.

"I'm sorry baby." Beca breathed into Chloe's mouth, her voice barely above

"For?"

"You know, falling asleep last night." She moved her body, positioning a leg between Chloe's thighs, slightly adding more pressure. Chloe fought back a gasp as the sexual tension quickly built between them. She reached up to find a better angle and kissed Beca's warm lips. Once they pulled apart, Beca found herself quite worked up. She was amazed at how Chloe always managed to affect her. Her breaths were coming in shaky, shallow breaths as the excitement built.

Chloe reached up to hold her girlfriend's face in her hands and pulled her back in for another fiery and passionate kiss. Her hands slid all over Beca's skin, feeling each curve and taut muscle. Likewise, Beca began to explore as well getting lost in the fervent kiss. When Beca pulled back, their eyes locked as they stared deeply into each other's soul. Beca's face was full of wonder and passion while Chloe's full of curiosity and love.

No words were spoken, but a story worthy of their relationship was communicated. Beca leaned in and softly kissed up and down Chloe's neck again as she let out little whimpers of anticipation. The brunette worked her way up to her girlfriend's tender, smooth lips. As they kissed once more, Chloe rolled their bodies over and she crawled on top of Beca. Her turn to run her lips across Beca's neck turned the tiny Grammy winner into a melted pool of butter.

Chloe's intensity from the morning before came back quickly. She bore her leg down between Beca's thighs and firmly pressed her hips with enough friction to pull a deep moan from Beca's throat. Chloe took advantage of this to move her mouth to her girlfriend's ear, sucking the lobe gently, suggestively. "Did you get enough sleep Grasshopper?" Chloe knew what her breath would do to Beca. "Do you need to go back to sleep?" She began rhythmically moving her body against Beca's.

"No. Ummm I mean yes." Beca was noticeably frustrated. "Ugh, I don't know. Just, please, don't stop." She reached her arms around Chloe and pulled her closer, gently pressing her fingertips into Chloe's back. "Please." Now it was Beca's time to whimper. Chloe continued to gyrate just enough to be teasing as she devoured her lover's lips and mouth.

The only sounds were the couple's heavy breaths and occasional begs and moans. And then… the solitude was broken by a muffled song coming from the front room. Chloe's body dropped on top of Beca's as she gave a frustrated sigh. "Chloooooo baby, please, ignore it." Beca was frantically trying to get Chloe to keep touching her. The ringtone stopped then started again. Beca cocked her head to the side. "What. The. Fuck?  _Turn the Beat Around_? Who the hell's ring tone is that?" About that time,  _Bad Boys_  by Inner Circle, the theme song to the TV show Cops started.

Chloe started giggling. "Bree's, and I take it yours is Stacie's."

"Can we just ignore the phones? Say we had them on silent or something?" Beca's hands were wandering all over her girlfriend's body in an attempt to encourage her to allow them to stay in bed.

"No babe. We promised Bree we'd meet them for lunch." Beca groaned as she began pouting. She went to shove Beca off her.

"Seriously?" Beca swung her legs off the bed as she sat up.

"Yes. Seriously Becs. Consider this payback for last night." Chloe pulled on a robe and padded into the front room to retrieve her phone and returned Aubrey's call. They made plans to meet in the lobby in an hour. "No Bree, don't worry about that. I've already arranged for a car."

After she hung up, Beca looked at her girlfriend with raised eyebrows. "Getting used to the high life already I see?" Chloe just giggled without a response and went to jump in the shower.

* * *

January in New York City was turning out to be pretty damned cold, especially for four Georgia girls. While waiting on Chloe to finish getting ready, Beca stood at the glass balcony door looking over the snowy scene below them. "Bug, I'm afraid we are going to freeze our asses off," she called out to Chloe.

The red head bounced out of the bathroom to where Beca stood and wrapped her arms around the concerned smaller woman. "I have it all worked out babe. Trust me." She gave Beca a loud smacking kiss on her cheek and slapped her butt. "Let's go!"

From listening to Theo's stories about paparazzi and with the understanding they were staying at a "star hotel", Beca knew enough to at least grab one of the many pairs of sunglasses she had perfectly lined up on the breakfast counter. When Chloe laughed, Beca grumbled under her breath. "Don't you say a word." She handed Chloe a second pair to slip into her purse so she'd be able to change up her look throughout the day.

As the elevator opened into the lobby, Chloe began looking around. Beca thought she was looking for Aubrey and Stacie so was surprised when the red head went trotting over to a taller man wearing a suit. "Jerry!" Of course she gave him a hug. This was Chloe's M.O. She immediately began chattering away. As a confused Beca walked up, Chloe introduced them. "Jerry, this is my girlfriend Beca Mitchell. Beca this is Jerry. He's our driver – the one I told you about who took care of Aubrey and me on our trip here a few weeks ago."

Jerry was beaming as he offered his hand to the tiny songwriter. "Congratulations on your two wins last night Ms. Mitchell. You have a lovely girlfriend, one of the best clients I've driven in a long time. I'm not sure if she told you what a big fan I am of your music."

"Ahhh, so you are the famous Jerry. Please call me Beca. Chloe and Aubrey both went on and on about your impeccable service. I didn't realize she had arranged a driver for us today, so I'm glad it's you. I appreciate you taking care of them. And thanks for being a fan; I'll have to have the labels hook you up."

About that time, Aubrey and Stacie showed up. Aubrey greeted Jerry with a hug and introduced her girlfriend. Stacie handed Jerry a small box. She looked at Chloe and laughed. "Chlo already arranged to take care of the man. There's a few Sharpies in here, too, for your autograph Shortstack." A crowd was gathering outside the front lobby. "But how about we do that later. I think the sharks are about to attack."

Jerry took the box from Stacie and laughed as he looked at the people clamoring outside with their cameras and stacks of items to be autographed. "Oh but we have secrets. Follow me." He led the foursome towards the back of the hotel. They stopped at the backdoor. A concierge offered them large woolen overcoats and thick gloves since their Georgia winter clothes didn't look quite thick enough for New York winter. The women happily accepted the added warmth, especially Beca.

They then slipped out the rear where another car awaited. "During big events like this, normally the first car is just a decoy. I drove it up, but the other driver who left this car will probably use it to just pick up some rich dude." All the girls laughed. "So where to for lunch ladies?"

* * *

No amount of pleading could convince Jerry to join them for lunch. Despite Aubrey trying to explain Southern hospitality, Jerry held fast in his company rule of avoiding fraternization with the clients. However, he did break down when offered to take selfies with Beca as well as the entire group of women.

After everyone's stomach was full, they decided to go shopping. On their previous trip to New York City, Jerry had taken Chloe and Aubrey to the better known touristy places mostly in Manhattan. This time, he had made arrangements to visit some unique but trendy boutiques in the other boroughs. While Beca tried to act annoyed, she secretly enjoyed watching Chloe and their friends have fun. An added bonus was Beca procuring multiple pairs of unique, one-of-a-kind sunglasses without her friends really noticing thus skipping the relentless teasing that normally accompanied her shade purchases.

At one point, Beca decided to go out to the car and visit with the driver. He was caught off guard when Beca just popped open the passenger door and slid in. Apparently, she had caught him mid-phone call, FaceTiming somebody. "Hey baby, I have to go right quick. I'll call you back later."

Beca heard the most angelic voice answering, "Bye Daddy. I love you."

"Love you, too peanut." Jerry was grinning as he disconnected the call.

"How old is your daughter?" Beca could tell how much he cared for the sweet little girl.

"Twelve going on twenty-five. She's a handful, but I wouldn't trade her for the world."

Beca grinned. "Next trip, you'll have to bring her along, if her mom says it's okay."

"It's just me and her." His voice saddened a bit, so Beca didn't push for an explanation.

She thought for a moment. "Call her back." The driver looked at her oddly. "Does she know who you are driving today?" He shook his head. "Just call her back."

After a few rings, a little girl's face popped onto the screen. She had jet black hair tied back with an orange ribbon and porcelain skin. "Hi Daddy. That was fast!"

"Hi Jilly." Beca reached over and tapped him on the shoulder, motioning for the phone. "I have someone who wants to talk to you." He handed over his phone.

"Well hello." Beca gave the camera a little wave. A look of confusion washed over the young girl's face before the shriek came.

"Oh. My. Goodness. Are you really Beca Mitchell?"

Beca chuckled as she nodded her head. "Yup. Your daddy has been nice enough to drive us around today." She could tell the young fan was about to hyperventilate. "Maybe next time I will be lucky enough to meet you. Would you like that?"

"Y-y-yes ma'am, it would be great."

"Well I didn't know Mr. Jerry had a daughter until just a few minutes ago. So I'm going to send some things home with him – some for daddy and some for you. Make sure he gives you yours!" The girl was so star struck, all she could do was nod her head. "I just wanted to say hi. I look forward to meeting you." Beca waved at the raven-haired girl.

"Thank you. Bye Ms. Mitchell."

Jerry took his phone back. "Thanks Beca. I'm sure you made her day. I'm sure she took a bazillion screen shots during that conversation."

"I'm sure there are plenty of things in that box we can get signed to her – and to you as well. And I am serious. Next trip, she needs to come with us. Chloe loves kids."

About that time, the other women flooded out of the store, arms filled with bags and parcels. Jerry leaped out of the driver's side to take over loading things into the trunk of the car as the three shoppers piled in. Beca got out to sit next to her girlfriend in the back. "I missed you," she murmured as she gave Chloe a kiss.

"You disappeared on us."

"Somebody had to keep Jerry company. Besides we called his daughter. Did you know he had a daughter?" When the driver got back in, Chloe started peppering him with questions about Jilly. She also extracted a promise from him to include her on the next trip.

* * *

While the car was headed back to the hotel, Jerry enquired about their dinner plans. Three heads turned towards Beca, automatically deferring the decision to her. "Honestly? I really want to have some famous New York pizza. Do you think we can get away with just walking around Times Square?"

"You mean like a regular tourist?" Beca nodded.

"Maybe. I'm sure if you dress down and tuck your hair under a cap or hat. You may escape recognition, especially if you head out another hotel exit I can show you. The paps haven't figured out people slip out through the kitchen delivery doors yet."

Beca grinned. "I'm beginning to like you more and more Jerry." She turned to Chloe and the others. "What do you think? How about having some pizza on Times Square, or anything you want? I want at least one slice of pizza though." Beca mimicked folding up a big slice of pizza and shoving it into her mouth. "Nom, nom, nom."

Stacie reached over and swatted her friend on the shoulder. "You are so weird Shortie."

When Jerry dropped his passengers off, he let them know that he'd have their purchase sent up. He showed them how to get to the kitchen side exit and gave them directions on how to get to the most popular pizza joints. He threw in a couple of other types of restaurants just in case the others got in the mood for something other than pizza.

Beca split out the promo material in the box that Chloe had brought and autographed items to each of them personally. She also had Jerry snap a few pics of them both with Beca holding the things to make it more special for Jilly. Each woman gave their driver a warm hug. "Make sure your daughter tags me in those pics you know she's going to put on Instagram." He laughed as he waved goodbye to his favorite clients ever.

* * *

The women agreed to change clothes and meet up in Aubrey and Stacie's room in about forty-five minutes so that they could head to Times Square to see the sights and eat junk food. As soon as Beca closed and double locked the hotel room door, she felt herself being slammed back against the wall. Chloe crashed her lips against Beca's, nearly knocking the wind from Beca's lungs. She barely had time to react before Chloe pressed her tongue to her lips, begging for entry which was instantly given.

As Chloe delved deep into Beca's mouth, the kiss was very sloppy as the sense of urgency increased. Beca reached her arms up and tangled her hands in Chloe's auburn locks, pulling her in yet closer. Chloe moaned as she arched her back, pressing her breasts into Beca's chest, the body heat quickly rising in both of them. Chloe clawed at Beca's shirt, pulling it over her head then reaching behind her to release the clasp of her bra.

"Babe," Beca's words became stilted as Chloe grasped one of Beca's nipples between her forefinger and thumb, squeezing gently. Knowing that Beca was quickly losing her ability to form proper sentences, Chloe grinned as she ran her teeth across her girlfriend's jaw and down her neckline. "Chlo," Beca struggled to say. "We don't have time for this."

The red head ducked her head down and took Beca's other breast into her mouth and sucked gently for a moment. "I want you Becs. Third time's a charm, right?" Beca's protests turned to whimpers as Chloe would not relent. She pulled Chloe's mouth up to again meet hers as both women quickly fumbled with clothing until they were undressed.

Beca backed Chloe up until they landed on the huge couch in the center of the entertainment space in their massive suite. The red head wasted no time in straddling her girlfriend, spreading herself out on Beca's stomach and grinding into her midsection. When Beca felt how wet Chloe was, she groaned. "God Chlo. Fuck."

"I told you babe. I've been this way since you fell asleep on me last night. What can I say? Seeing my girlfriend win two Grammys turned me on. So. Fucking. Sexy. And the whole world saw your sexy outfit on television. I'd be jealous of them if you weren't the one between MY legs right now." She continued to press her crotch against Beca's lower abdomen rhythmically as Beca raised her hips trying to find friction against Chloe's body. Chloe looked down at the brunette with a devilish grin. She reached behind herself and ran her fingers through Beca's folds to gather wetness that had quickly seeped out.

Knowing their time was limited, Chloe was working herself more quickly against her girlfriend's body as she manipulated Beca's clit with her hand. "Chlo, god Chlo. Please." She couldn't decide what was hotter, feeling Chloe's wetness against her stomach or feeling her girlfriend working her clit to bring her to the edge of orgasm. "Don't you dare stop." She placed her hands on Chloe's bare hips to help her stay in motion.

Quickly, Chloe began panting as she was getting close to falling over the edge. Yet she didn't want to without the brunette. She opened her eyes again to stare down at Beca as she sucked her lower lip into her mouth, giving it a sexy bite. As they locked their glaze, Chloe could judge where Beca was in her journey to the top and could adjust her own motion so that they could orgasm together. She could feel Beca's fingernails digging into her thighs and loved to listen to the tiny songwriter call out her name. With a few more thrusts, both women let loose as they fell over the edge together, and Chloe collapsed on top of Beca.

Beca wrapped her arms around the body lying on top of her. "Maybe I need to fall asleep on you more often." She nuzzled her face into the red hair cascading around her. "We probably need to get cleaned up and get over to Aubrey and Stacie's before they come looking for us. That is, if my legs will hold me up." Beca laughed as she reached around to slap Chloe's bare ass.

* * *

The couple quickly made themselves presentable, giggling most of the time at the quickie secret they planned on keeping from Stacie and Aubrey. Beca was in no mood to be teased by her pal. Soon they were on the elevator, riding the few floors down to their friend's floor. Their arms were swinging back and forth as they grasped hands and walked down the hallway. Beca pulled up short of the room where they were headed and gently pressed her body against Chloe's, pinning her against the wall. She gently ran her fingers through auburn hair and softly kissed Chloe's lips.

Chloe interrupted the caress with a snicker, motioning her head towards the door. Beca stopped and cocked her head sideways as a quiet guffaw escaped her mouth. Unmistakable sex sounds emerged from the gap between the door and the frame. Beca screwed up her face and mouthed, 'who's that?" Chloe shrugged.

About that time, all question about who they heard melted away as they heard Aubrey become quite vocal. "Stacie. Baby. Fuck me – harder baby harder!" Chloe and Beca both slapped their hands over their mouth as they tried to not laugh too loudly.

"There's no telling how long we'll have to be out here. We should have taken our time." Beca leaned in for another kiss. She then took her fist and banged against the door. "We hear your sexed-out selves, you two. Get dressed. I'm hungry." Beca made sure her voice was quite loud to suitable interrupt their friends.

Chloe playfully swatted Beca's chest and mouthed, "Beca!"

The brunette just shrugged. "Well it's true; plus, I'm hungry."

Not much time passed before the tall couple emerged from their room. Aubrey kept her eyes glued on the floor, refusing to look at her best friend or Beca. Stacie just had a sheepish look on her face. Both of them had their long hair pulled back into messy buns and had changed into jeans and comfortable walking shoes.

Stacie bumped her best friend with her shoulder. "Where are your shades Shortstack?"

"It's dark out." Beca deadpanned as she rolled her eyes. Chloe handed her the fedora they had picked out so she could be somewhat disguised before they headed down to exit through the kitchen and take the short stroll around the corner which put them right into the hustle and bustle of the Times Square area.

The women stood still for a few moments taking everything in – the lights, the crowds, the smells, everything. They stood in the center of Times Square and watched the hundreds of people rushing about on the street. Soon Beca took the lead and began walking in the direction of one of the pizza places Jerry had recommended, her short legs walking almost faster than her taller friends.

As Beca had the pizza parlor in her sights, Chloe teasingly pulled her up short. "Are you sure you want pizza?" The brunette rolled her eyes and tugged her hand free from Chloe's. She then hooked her arm through Aubrey's and hurried towards the door.

The women ordered two large pizzas and a pitcher of beer, all to share. "If we are still hungry after this, I vote Chinese!" Chloe chirped. She scooted closer to Beca so she could sneak in and steal toppings off her girlfriend's slices when she wasn't looking.

As she was getting full, Stacie pushed her chair back from the table. "Jerry wasn't kidding when he said they had damned good pizza." She grabbed a handful of napkins to wipe the grease off her hands and face. As she reached over to pour herself another mug of beer, she looked at her best friend and grinned. "Who would have thought?"

Beca tried to answer her but had just shoved the crust of her last piece into her mouth. "Mmmgssghhhmm?" Beca managed to swallow the pizza in her mouth and washed it down with a gulp of beer. "What's that?"

"My work-partner, ex-roommate, and best friend a successful singer, song writer with two Grammy awards to put on her shelf within the first year of going rogue away from the department."

Chloe leaned into Beca and wrapped her arm around her girlfriend. "It wasn't easy Stac. She worked her ass off." She almost acted like she was defending Beca.

The taller brunette laughed. "I know – but had you told me a year ago we'd all be here in New York City with a soon-to-be-a-household-name celebrating, I would have laughed in your face."

The four continued to talk about the path that each of them had taken to get where they were now and how proud they were of their own accomplishments. Suddenly Aubrey looked at the time on her phone. "Oh shit, it's 11:45. Come on, we've got to go!" She cleaned up the mess on the table the best she could and tossed some cash down for a tip.

"Cinderella? Is that you?" Beca teased. "Are you afraid Stacie here is going to turn into a pumpkin?"

Aubrey rolled her eyes as she grabbed Stacie's hand and pulled her out the door to the middle of Times Square. "No ass. It's almost time for the Midnight Moment." Aubrey wandered around looking for  _just the right spot_ which nobody else understood. Once she was satisfied they were standing in a good location, she started scanning the large digital billboards. At 11:57, there will be a three-minute digital art exhibition, the world's largest and longest-running one.

At 11:57 on the dot, the electronic advertising scrolling across the screens stopped and was replaced with a synchronized display – a surreal, theatrical portrait featuring a man holding a crescent moon and crooning along to the classic Rodgers and Hart song "Blue Moon". The song lyrics appeared karaoke-style at the bottom of the screen.

Once the three minutes where over and the billboards went back to their advertising, Aubrey was absolutely beaming. "Oh, I just loved how the artist included the pop-art colors to brighten the winter sky. Beca you have to admit this particular display brought wry perspective on your music dreams and in all of our hearts for our prospects for finding a love of our own."

Stacie looked fondly at the tall blonde before kissing her gently. "I believe I've already found a love of my own, and I'm not letting her go."


	3. Cheating for Good

True to Theo's promises, a slew of additional offers of work came flying at Beca after the Grammys. "You just thought you got a lot of requests before; you haven't seen anything." Wisely, they had lined up sufficient work prior to the awards ceremony to be able to prioritize the larger offers and place many of them in queue for consideration. Others went on the back burner while Beca's workload got organized.

The Grammy winner's agent was subtly pushing her towards signing with a label in order to have another layer of filters on the requests. Beca could allow a label to do more of the footwork in obtaining clients so that Beca only had to do her magic. Theo was firmly against this because Beca would lose much of her autonomy as well as the flexibility to choose what artists she would work with and how involved she would be in the process.

Trusting in Theo, Beca axed the idea of signing with a label. She wanted to ensure that she could continue doing what she loved, how she loved doing it – and not having to answer to anyone in particular but her clients. Work certainly was in no shortage; so she continued to spend her time being selective with her contracts as she built up her experience as well as her already growing reputation.

"Theo, this Grammy business is redunkulous. I always knew it was a tremendous honor, but I had no idea what a difference even the nominations would make for people coming out of the woodwork wanting to work with me. And the price I can demand – DAMN."

"I tried to tell you Becs. When you jumped into the industry, you really landed on your feet. I've been meaning to ask. What did you think of your Grammy swag bag?" He grinned as he imagined Beca bitching about having to have that huge duffle bag shipped back to Atlanta.

"That's another thing! They seriously give out shit like that every year? To rich folk who don't need it?"

Theo threw back his head as he laughed. "It's all about the advertising Becs. But come on, admit it. Your first goody bag was pretty shocking, eh?"

"Stacie found it in my hotel room and immediately dumped it out on the floor. Shit went flying everywhere. I think the others had combed through and claimed most things before I even realized what was happening. Aubrey and Chloe announced they are going to the spa retreat in California. Stacie decided her next job was going to be a fancy bartender. She's all pumped up about the mixology classes. All of the make-up, clothes, a lot of it was snapped up before I could even take a look." Beca chuckled as she recalled the feeding frenzy in their hotel room in New York.

"Some of the things directly related to music like the custom acoustic guitar, etc. I'm going to donate to Chloe and Josh's schools for a fundraiser auction. I think I'm going to ask some of the artists and labels I've worked with already to cough up some things as well."

Theo shook his head and gave Beca a soft smile. "You are good people Becs. Speaking of Josh and his students, have you seen the video they have on YouTube?" When Beca shook her head, Theo quickly found it and queued it up on one of the larger computer monitors. The title was "Guest Guitar Teacher" and described the clip as "Extended guitar lessons with Ms. Beca."

The shaky phone video showed Beca sitting with a small group of middle school students and their guitars. The small brunette was taking them through techniques as she taught them chords of a song. She noticeably was bypassing any accompanying theory that their instructor would have already taught them in class as they did attend a school specializing in music. Theo grinned as they watched Beca grabbing her own guitar. Together, they all played through bits of the song on which they had been working which just happened to be  _Hurt Somebody_  in its rough initial stages.

Beca grinned. "Those are such great kids. And before you say anything, when I was working with Josh's students, I used my own works to test their talents, but this was well before I even thought of selling anything or going under contract."

"I know Becs. The date this was uploaded is months before you signed with Noah. We probably need to give his agent a call though."

Raising her eyebrows, Beca asked, "Am I in trouble?"

"Nope. But we need to start working on your social media image. Decide which of your own personal media accounts you want to preserve and lock them down tightly. Then we can create public profiles and get them verified, which won't take long at all, like a few days with the contacts I have. As soon as that's done, we'll start pumping out some content. This video is one I'd like to promote. Get the kid who posted it to change the description a bit. Then we can push it out and maybe, on the heels of the Grammys, it will go viral. Sooooo giving Noah's team a heads up that kids learned that song before he bought it might be wise."

"Oh, Tommy and the others will be tickled. They knew the guitar piece of  _that song they heard on the radio_  before it came out. Okay all this social media stuff. Who manages all that? My agent? I don't have faith that I'm creative enough to keep followers interested and honestly I don't have the time."

Theo drummed his fingers on the desk. "I know of a creative little lady that might be willing to take on the job." Beca cocked her head to one side and raised an eyebrow. "Bright blue eyes, long auburn hair full of curls, killer smile. Did I mention she's creative as hell?" Beca motioned for him to continue, to stop stalling. "Come on Becs – Chloe would love to be involved. She adores you and would show you in the best possible public light."

Beca's face broke out in a grin as wide as her face. "She'll love it. I'll talk to her tonight."

* * *

"Chloe! I'm home." Beca tossed her bag onto the couch as she wandered around the house looking for her girlfriend. "Chloeeee." Her voice picked up a sing-songy tone as she heard faint sounds of the patter of water in the shower and muffled strands of a familiar song coming from their shower.

_You shout it out/But I can't hear a word you say/I'm talking loud not saying much_

Beca grinned as she silently got undressed and slipped into the bathroom unnoticed by her girlfriend who was singing at the top of her lungs.

_I'm bulletproof/nothing to lose/fire away, fire away…_

The brunette stopped short of the tub before she began to harmonize.

_Ricochet/take your aim/fire away, fire away/you shoot me down_

_But I won't fall/I am titanium/you shoot me down but I won't fall/I am titanium._

She pulled back the shower curtain and slipped in with Chloe.

* * *

After the couple were thoroughly clean after getting dirty, the couple were sharing the kitchen cooking dinner, Beca's trademark lasagna. Chloe bumped her hip gently against Beca's as she handed her a beer. "You know, this was the first meal you made for me."

"How could I forget babe? My stellar cooking is what made you fell in love with me, right?" Chloe pressed a kiss against the back of Beca's neck as she nodded in agreement. "I  **knew** it." They both laughed.

As Chloe began setting the table, the aromas of the lasagna in the oven permeated the kitchen. Its tangy deliciousness seeped into their noses with every inhale taken. "Damn Beca, I'm going to demolish every bite of that as soon as we sit down."

"Come on Bug. All that meaty sauce in between the layers of pasta, the melted cheese sealing in the flavors, you know you'd rather savor the sight rather than destroying it with no mercy." Beca loved teasing Chloe about her love of her cooking. Her hands were gloved with oven mitts as she wrapped her arms around the redhead. "The saucy red goodness, much like your auburn hair, makes it perfect every time. The ultimate dinner."

The timer went off, and Beca left her girlfriend to open the oven door. The sizzling was loud as Beca peeked in to see the golden-brown cheese crusted on the surface the pan which had sauce bubbling from the edges. The brunette pulled the casserole dish out of the oven as the sweltering heat hovered over the yummy food as if it was a lonely asphalt road on a hot summer road in Texas.

Soon both women were seated, scooping huge spoonfuls of thick meat, pasta, and tomato sauce onto their plates along with the raw vegetables that Chloe had marinated in Italian dressing. "I think I fall in love with you even more each time you feed me this lasagna." She tucked another spoonful of food into her mouth. "How was your day Grasshopper?"

"Mmmm," Beca wiped grease from the corners of her mouth. "Great. Hey, Theo was talking to me about social media today. My Instagram and Twitter are already out there, but I've locked down my personal Facebook. We created a fan Facebook page. He said he can have all of them verified within the next few days."

"That's great baby." Chloe took a swallow of beer before taking a few more bites of food. She laughed as she continued, "I know how much you hate being in the spotlight. You know you are going to have to struggle to put yourself out there."

"Ummm about that. Theo had another of his good ideas, as usual. He told me about this awesomely talented woman who might be interested in running my social media for now." Chloe's mouth was full, so she just motioned for Beca to go on. "I believe his words were 'bright blue eyes, long auburn hair full of curls, killer smile.'"

Chloe grinned as she hurriedly swallowed the food in her mouth. "Me? You want ME to manage your social media?" She leaned forward and grasped Beca's hand. "Like completely? Full control?"

Beca pulled her hand and pressed it to her lips. "Yup. So how about it?"

Chloe quickly agreed as Beca knew she would. After dinner, the tiny songwriter handed over all the login information even though she knew Chloe had access to her accounts anyway. She found Tommy's YouTube video to show her and shared Theo's plans about asking him to add some things in the description then sharing it on Beca's social media. The redhead spent the rest of the night blowing up her girlfriend's social media for the fans.

* * *

"Theo my man!" Beca almost skipped into the studio they were using that day. She slapped him on the back "How's going it?"

"Let me guess, last night was lasagna night?" Theo was chuckling because he knew what always happened after Chloe and Beca had lasagna night. He had found out quite by mistake one evening after he called, interrupting the after-dinner festivities. She hadn't realized that he had called using FaceTime and answered without looking at the screen, embarrassing the hell out of both of them, but now they reveled in the joke.

"De.Li.Cious!" She turned to take the cup of coffee offered by thee assistant. "Chloe spent most of the evening combing through my social media, organizing some things, posting pictures, retweeting. Basically, starting to build something the fans can relate to."

"That's great Becs. She'll shape things up in no time."

"She wants me to ask you about interviews – you know, the talk show circuit and all that. Apparently, the fans are clamoring to learn more about the 'elusive Beca Mitchell'."

Theo began laughing. "Why do you think I wanted her to get your social media alive and kicking? How do you feel about setting up some interviews, putting yourself out there on television, radio, etc?"

Beca groaned and rolled her eyes. "Seriously man? Do I look like I have time for that? Besides you know how I feel about that shit."

"Eventually you are going to have to break down though. But for now, I agree with you. We have too much work to do for you to take time off for the press. Just avoid the paparazzi as best you can but not your true admirers. We can make subtle arrangements to leak where you might be showing up, both here and in Los Angeles, and have an area where you can pose for selfies with your fanbase and sign autographs for them."

"Plus, maybe you can go back to Josh's school for a few more guitar lessons to put on YouTube. People eat up stars with kids. That will push you further into the exclusive realm then when time does permit, we can set up an awesome talk show circuit."

"You are the bomb Theo. I knew I kept you around for a reason. Want to become my publicist?"

"Honey, without me, you wouldn't need a publicist." Theo laughed as he playfully punched Beca in the shoulder. "I made you Mitchell, and don't you forget it!"

* * *

While quite well-planned, Beca's schedule had become even more hectic than before. She was nothing if not hard-working and dedicated to her craft. Despite the selectivity of contracts into which she was entering, her two Grammys allowed her to demand top dollar. While some artists wanted just her songs, most wanted her involved in the full production process since she had already proven herself twice in the biggest way possible that she was epitome of artists. Her high level of involvement definitely was a larger draw on her time and energy.

Chloe and Beca had been growing closer in every way possible, or so Chloe thought. However, over the past few weeks, she felt as though Beca had closed herself off a bit. She wasn't sure if it was stress from work, all the travelling back and forth to Los Angeles, or what; but something was undeniably going on with Beca. She doubled checked her own personal calendar as well as Beca's schedule with her personal assistant to confirm that her girlfriend had been keeping up with her appointments with her therapist, Lyla.

One afternoon as the redhead was waiting to leave school, she began flipping through social media to see if she could get a hint of anything that might have set Beca off when she came across a tabloid headline from the day before.  _Has Music Producer Beca Mitchell Moved to Blondes?_  Chloe's blood turned to ice as she looked at the pictures of a smiling Beca apparently enjoying lunch with a beautiful blonde with short, curly hair.

Was this why Beca had been avoiding her? Was she cheating? Chloe's hands began shaking as she hurriedly packed up her things and made her way out to her car. She sat in her vehicle, collecting herself, trying to decide what to do. She ultimately decided to confront Beca head-on; they never kept secrets from each other, unless Beca was trying to surprise Chloe with something like she had last Christmas by bringing her family in for Christmas. This behavior was so atypical of her girlfriend; Chloe didn't want to beat around the bush or give Beca an out. At the same time, she owed it to her girlfriend to give her the benefit of a doubt. She'd just find her and immediately challenge her with the pictures.

Both girlfriends kept the Family Share and Find My iPhone apps active on their phone since they had never before had anything to hide from the other. Chloe logged into Beca's account and found where she was, well at least where her phone said she was. The redhead quickly navigated to the vicinity and found a nearby parking place.

The app took Chloe to a moderate restaurant much like the one her girlfriend been photographed at the day before with the blonde woman. As she approached the eating establishment, she immediately saw Beca sitting across from a small Asian woman. On the table sat an almost empty bottle of wine.

Her stomach tightened as she saw the brunette flip her hair back and laugh as she placed a hand on the Asian woman's arm in a familiar gesture. About that time, Beca glanced out the window and saw the redhead staring at her with an open mouth. Chloe turned and took off running down the block doing her best to get to where Beca couldn't find her. She heard her girlfriend's voice shout after her. "Chloe, Chloe, wait come back. Let me explain."

The redhead stumbled around the block and eventually found her way to a small park which was tucked away in a quiet neighborhood, hidden from her girlfriend who had been running after her. Beca was cheating on her – not with one but two different women. How could have she have been so blind? She sat on the bench crying for what seemed like hours, sobbing into her hands as her tears flowed through her fingers. Her breathing was hitching as she struggled to catch her breath. When she finally felt as though she had calmed down enough to speak coherently, she dialed her phone. "Bree? I need you."

* * *

Back at her house, Aubrey realized that she had never seen her friend so deflated. Chloe's loose shoulders shook as she lay curled up on the guest bed, making no attempt to conceal or even wipe away her tears. The redhead was always so jubilant and carefree like nothing negative could ever touch her. To see Chloe's protective layers stripped with her pain so exposed tore Aubrey to pieces.

The tall blonde finally picked up her best friend's phone which had been receiving notifications like crazy. Beca was blowing up Chloe's phone with calls, texts, and voice mails. She switched the device off so Chloe wouldn't be tempted to call the tiny songwriter. Aubrey then went into a different part of the house away from her best friend's ears and dialed Beca's number. Without giving the shorter woman time to speak, she barked into the phone, "Stop trying to contact Chlo. You've done enough damage already today. I love you Beca, but she's my best friend. You've ripped her heart out, and it's best for everyone if you just stay away." With that, she disconnected the phone.

Beca was at a complete loss for words. When she had found Chloe's car by the restaurant, she was immediately even more concerned than when she saw the blue eyes full of surprise staring at her through the restaurant window. But now, at least knowing her girlfriend was with Aubrey, Beca knew that her girlfriend was safe. She also knew that after that phone call, she should give up on any thoughts she had of trying to show up to talk to Chloe today. There was no way she'd get past the militant blonde protecting her best friend. She finally decided to just go back to their house and think about how she was going to get out of this hole she had dug.

* * *

The brunette was in her music room at the house she rented with Chloe working on a new song when she felt a presence behind her in the room. She ripped off the headphones she had been wearing and whipped around to find Stacie standing there in uniform. The police officer was holding two open beers. After Beca straightened up her work, she took one and went into the living room with her best friend.

"Damn Beca, what the fuck did you do? I got kicked out of my house tonight. Aubrey wouldn't even let me in to change clothes, just threw a duffle bag at me on the lawn and bolted the door shut. No words, no warning, nothing." Stacie knew how serious the situation was since Aubrey wouldn't even speak with her.

Beca drained her beer and went to get another along with a bottle of tequila and two glasses. She wouldn't speak until she had finished another beer and each of them had two shots. "I screwed up Stace. I was trying to surprise her and instead, I screwed everything up." The shorter brunette buried her head in her hands. "I can't live without her Stacie."

"What the hell happened bud? Surely it'd not to the point where she's going to leave you."

Beca told her about Chloe seeing her at the restaurant with the Asian woman. "And then when I got home, I saw on social media and fucking TMZ had a picture of me with another woman from yesterday. From the look on her face today, I'm sure Chloe thinks I'm cheating on her. I've been out of sorts lately but only because I'm trying to figure a way to spring this on her. Fuck I should have never kept it a secret. I should have known she'd find out." She continued to tell Stacie what she'd been working on.

"Damn Becs, that's incredible. But geesh, you are going to have to get past Aubrey first. She's like a Rottweiler when it comes to protecting Chloe." The friends tossed some ideas around while they finished off all the beer in the fridge along with the entire bottle of tequila.


	4. The Truth about Cheaters

The next morning, Stacie woke up in the guest room with a screaming tequila headache. She rolled over to see a bottle of ibuprofen and a few bottles of water on the night stand along with a note from Beca.  _Gone to the studio. Come over when you get up._  Groaning, Stacie eventually rolled out of bed, showered, and put on some clean clothes. At least Aubrey had been kind when she packed the bag and gave her some decent digs. Stacie downed about three bottles of water then rummaged in the fridge for some food to soak up the alcohol that remained sloshing in her stomach.

When she got to the studio, the receptionist directed her where to go, reminding her to not try to go in while the recording lights were on. Stacie wandered around the short hall and took a peek into Beca's office. Her friend's two Grammys were proudly displayed on a shelf behind her desk along with gold, platinum, and multi-platinum records hanging on the wall. There were several pictures of Beca and Chloe, Stacie and Aubrey, and the four of them together on various adventures. Stacie shook her head at how far her former police buddy had come since meeting that sprite little redhead in the bar so long ago.

She heard the metallic click of the studio door unlocking and confirmed that the recording light was off before she went into the recording room. When Beca finished talking to the engineer, she turned to greet Stacie with a big hug. Stacie looked down at her friend. "You left early Becs. I don't know how you do it. I can barely walk now."

"Let's just call it middle of the night inspiration. I was working on a new song when you came over last night, and I woke up with an idea on how to put it together. So here I am."

"Seriously? You wrote a song yesterday? And recorded it today?" Beca nodded. "I don't know how you do it."

Beca tapped the side of her head. "Genius my friend, pure genius. Actually, it's not finished – mostly just the hook and the chorus. But I think it's good enough for what I need today. Now we just have to figure a way to get past Aubrey."

"I hope you know I'm moving into your house if I get permanently kicked out of Aubrey's place. I know the saying goes that  _the dog's bark is worse than its bite._  But with Aubrey, I'm not so sure!"

* * *

Stacie cautiously unlocked the front door to her house hoping the deadbolt wasn't still thrown. Luckily, the door opened and she was able to enter. As planned, she put two large envelopes on the coffee table in front of the couch along with a large cardboard roll. She then went off to find Aubrey who was in their bedroom. "Hey." Stacie spoke softly as she gave her girlfriend a gentle hug. "I hope it's okay I came home."

Aubrey had dark bags beneath her eyes from staying up most of the night comforting her best friend. She simply wrapped her arms around her lanky girlfriend allowed herself to be held for a bit. She pressed her face into her girlfriend's hair as she murmured. "I was just so furious at Beca that I took it out on you Stace, I was wrong, and I apologize." Stacie could tell Aubrey was completely miserable.

Stacie combed her fingers through her girlfriend's blonde locks. "It's understandable, and I forgive you as long as you realize sometimes there is more to a story than meets the eye." She felt Aubrey tense up. "Wait. Just wait." She pushed back a bit from her girlfriend and held her face gently as she looked into her eyes. "You've listened to Chloe's side, and you have to realize that I listened to Beca's. I think once we allow them both to talk, things will get a lot clearer for everyone." Aubrey gave Stacie another hug. "How's Chloe?"

"She finally got some sleep, I think. I was about to take her some tea." The couple went into the kitchen to fix a round of tea. When Aubrey saw the items on the table she cocked her head sideways questioningly.

"They're for Chloe, part of the other side of that story. I have something else, too." She held up the USB drive Beca had given her. "How that woman does her magic is a mystery to me, but this one is pretty good. Apparently, it's like a rough draft or something, whatever they call it in music-land." Stacie slipped the USB drive into the stereo while Aubrey took Chloe her tea. When she was certain Chloe was awake enough to listen, Stacie pressed play and the music started. Next was Beca's voice.

_Take a seat right over there, sat on the stairs/Stay or leave, the cabinets are bare and I'm unaware/Of just how we got into this mess, got so aggressive/I know we meant all good intentions_

_So pull me closer/Why don't you pull me close?/Why don't you come on over?/I can't just let you go_

_Oh baby, why don't you just meet me in the middle?/I'm losing my mind just a little/So why don't you just meet me in the middle?/In the middle/Baby, why don't you just meet me in the middle?/I'm losing my mind just a little/So why don't you just meet me in the middle?_

Stacie heard some movement in the guest room about the same time she heard the front door quietly open. As she heard Beca's voice singing through the speakers, Chloe came to the bedroom door and looked at Stacie standing by the stereo. The redhead stiffened as she saw Beca standing in the foyer with her head down, looking at the floor, with her leg slightly bouncing in time with the music as she mouthed the words.

 _Looking at you, I can't lie/Just pouring out admission/Regardless of my objection, oh_  
_And it's not about my pride/I need you on my skin/Just come over, pull me in, just  
_ _Oh, baby, why don't you just meet me in the middle?/I'm losing my mind just a little_

By the time the notes of the song had faded away, Chloe was crying again. Beca looked up and took a step cautiously towards her then glanced at Aubrey as if seeking permission. "Chlo? Can we talk?" Beca's voice was low, steady, calming. It was killing her to see how upset her girlfriend was.

"Babe, I just need a chance to explain. Meet me in the middle here babe? I love you." Chloe looked at her girlfriend as Beca continued slowly approaching the redhead, finally reaching her and taking her in her arms. Chloe surprisingly melted into the embrace. They stood like that for quite some time not saying anything.

Aubrey was first to break the silence. "You two need to talk. We'll be in the back if you need us." She grabbed Stacie's hand and turned to leave the room.

"No, you need to hear this too Bree. I owe everyone an explanation." Beca pushed back from Chloe a tiny bit before guiding her girlfriend to the couch where she placed the two large envelopes and the large cardboard tube in front of her. "First, Chloe I love you more than words can ever say. I am so so sorry that I made you feel otherwise yesterday. Please know it was never my intention, and the moment I saw your face in the front window, I realized what I had done. Aubrey asked me to leave you alone is the only reason I wasn't over here sooner."

Beca dumped out the contents of the first envelope which contained photos of an industrial type, older brick building. The pictures of the inside showed a warehouse style structure void of walls. "This has been empty for a while, and we got it for a song." Beca chuckled at her joke. "Theo and I want to open our own recording studio. The Asian woman you saw yesterday is our commercial real estate broker, and we were finalizing negotiations on the building." Chloe eyes brightened up as she started to speak. "Wait, wait, I need to get through all of this." Beca knew if she stopped now, she'd never make it through.

She then opened the second envelope of pictures which showed a highway with bushes along the frontage area with a dirt road that ran down and lead into a small valley. "Six and a half acres of undeveloped property, no zoning, just waiting for whatever house we want to put on it." That stupid woman they showed me with on TMZ, she's the farm and ranch realtor for this property. Contracts haven't been signed yet, but I wanted to have something to show you before I got my hopes up."

Tears were welling up in Chloe's eyes to go along with the relief which was evident in her face. Beca continued speaking. "I know I've been distant lately. I'm sorry. I've been incredibly busy with work and finding these properties and making these decisions. Fuck it's been crazy." Beca let out a sigh of relief and slouched back in the chair. "Okay babe, I'm done, for now."

Aubrey handed her friend a tissue, and Chloe wiped away the tears streaming down her face. She leaned across the gap between the furniture and grasped her girlfriend's hand. "I am sorry I didn't listen to you yesterday Beca. You are my world. I can't believe I ever thought you'd be cheating on me. Meanwhile you were doing all this. But," she paused as a concerned look took the place of the relief on her face. "There's a lot for us to talk about here though." She waved her hands over the pictures strewn across Aubrey's coffee table.

"I mean opening your own label? As exciting as that is, Los Angeles is expensive; hell, California in general is high-priced. And I'd have to move away from my job, away from Aubrey. We haven't lived more than twenty minutes from each other since college." Aubrey scooted closer to her best friend to comfort her while Stacie just grinned.

"Who said anything about Los Angeles?" Beca tossed down two remaining pictures – another of the warehouse that had huge faded letters painted on the side:  _Atlanta Feed and Seed_  and another of the street view of rural property which gave an address on Hillcroft Road, Atlanta, GA. "We are staying in Atlanta – that is unless you  _want_  to move to California."

Chloe squealed and let go of Aubrey's hand so that she could wrap both arms around her girlfriend. "Beca, are you serious? Atlanta? All of this is happening here?" Beca grinned as she nodded. "What's this then?" Chloe picked up the cardboard tube. Beca nodded at her and the redhead pulled out the rolled-up paper it held. The large pieces were light blue but blank. "Becs?"

"Come on Chlo. Isn't it obvious? Those are plans for our new house we are going to build on that property." Beca's crooked grin was teasing as she knew Chloe was clueless.

"But there's nothing on them."

"I know. That's because I thought you might want to design our house. I have a guy at the same architectural firm Theo and I are going to use for the studio that does residential. I think you'll like him. If not, we can find someone else." She went to kneel in front of Chloe. "Bug, I love you and you are an important part of my life. If we are going to do this, we are going to do this right, and I want you to design you dream house."

Aubrey and Chloe had a million questions for Beca about both the new label as well as plans for the new house which Beca patiently answered. Both Chloe and Beca spend copious amounts of time apologizing to each other for the epic misunderstanding between the two girlfriends. Arrangements were made for everyone to drive out to see the property later the next weekend, but the tiny songwriter already knew she had her girlfriend's approval.

* * *

To combat the recent rumors about Beca stirred up by TMZ and other paparazzi photos of Beca with the real estate agents that had been released, Chloe ramped up her work on Beca's Instagram and Twitter. After work and before Beca got home each day, she scoured hashtags on the platforms to search for pictures and posts from fans. After doing a quick exploration of the user's profile, she retweeted where she felt appropriate and then would follow the user. The fans' reactions were normally ecstatic and over the top at being noticed by the star.

As Beca worked with various artists, Chloe made sure she always took selfies to be posted. As well Theo helped a lot by sneaking in candid shots of Beca working in the studio. The amount of media Chloe was flooding made it a little less awkward when she threw in periodic updates about her and Beca's personal life. Because all the positivity being promoted, the paparazzi's rumors had a difficult time taking hold.

* * *

Soon the weekend arrived, and Beca was nervous about taking Chloe and their friends out to the property she wanted to purchase to build a house on. She had given her real estate agent earnest money so the seller would hold the property and signed a contract conditional on additional physical inspections and surveys. The agent let her know there wouldn't be a problem with her heading out to the land. If Chloe didn't like the place, Beca could back out of the contract and only lose her earnest money.

The foursome met at their favorite breakfast spot and found a place in the back at a table with their regular server. The waitress brought their coffee and water over immediately. The group were in there so often that she was comfortable enough to just pull up a chair from an empty table, take a seat, and toss her order book down. "Do I need to even ask? The normal?" The friends all laughed, nodded, and the waitress went off to put their order in.

When Chloe noticed Beca had only eaten a few bites of her pancakes and was only pushing the rest around on her plate, she reached for her girlfriend's other hand under the table. "Penny for your thoughts?" The tiny brunette shrugged. "Come on Grasshopper, what's wrong?" The redhead reached over and snatched a piece of bacon on Beca's plate.

Beca quickly sat up. "Hey! You can't have my bacon!" She giggled as Chloe offered a bite of the stolen pork.

"Spill Mitchell."

"I'm just afraid you won't like the land. I don't want to disappoint you." She turned to face Chloe who could tell Beca was seriously concerned.

"Babe, I'm sure I'm going to love it. I don't think you have the capacity to disappoint me. I adore you. It's going to be okay." Chloe leaned back towards Beca and offered her the rest of the bacon.

"Promise you'll be honest?"

"Always."

* * *

The drive to the overgrown driveway on Hillcroft Road actually took less than twenty minutes. In fact, if one didn't know where to look, it might be missed. The trees and dense brush hid the dirt road quite well. Aubrey glanced nervously at Stacie as they both sat in the backseat of Beca's huge truck.

Beca chuckled as she caught the look in her rearview mirror. "Of course, all this can be trimmed back, but it does provide for a great natural privacy wall. And we'll pave the road." She turned down the road as the foliage screeched and scraped the sides of her truck.

All the riders grabbed onto the handles on their doors as the truck rocked back and forth as it drove down the rutted-out dirt road. As the dirt road ended, Beca continued driving on the much smoother grass surface until she reached the top of a short swell in the land. "Okay, everyone out." Beca climbed out and stood in front of her truck looking down into the shallow valley that lie before them.

As everyone joined her, she motioned to one area towards the bottom. "I thought the house could go over there." She pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Chloe. "It's just a rough sketch, but I thought you might want to know why I like this place so much and maybe what you can do with it."

Chloe unfolded the paper to reveal a rough pencil sketch of a road leading to a house – well a rectangle with an oval in the back. "What's that?" Chloe pointed to the oval.

"I think that's a pool," Stacie teased.

Beca had drawn in the distant pond with another large rectangle beyond that. "And that?" Chloe looked at her girlfriend.

The tiny woman stuck her hands in her back pockets as she blushed. "A horse barn?"

Chloe smiled softly when she realized Beca had remembered being told that she had always wanted a horse. "Can we walk down there?"

The group ambled down the bottom of the hill and walked through where the house might possibly be. Between the house site and the pond was a huge oak tree. They stopped and stood under it a while, admiring the grand span of branches which provided much needed cooling shade from the hot Atlanta sun.

"Do you think we can plant more trees? Like all around the pond?" Chloe reached down and grasped Beca's hand, entwining their fingers. Beca nodded. She'd do anything for Chloe.

"Does that mean you like it?"

Chloe nodded her head emphatically. "I love it. I think it's perfect."

"Stace? Bree?" Beca looked at them nervously. "What do you think? Your opinion matters, too, you know."

"Does it really now?" Stacie chuckled. "Shortstack, Chloe said it all – it's perfect."

* * *

After getting Chloe's approval on the land, Beca made arrangements to finalize the purchase so that the actual plans could begin. She and Theo also were able to close on the warehouse. A great deal of clean-up had to happen before planning the new studio could begin, so Beca was able to push that to the back of her mind and concentrate on work.

She and Theo's next project was going to take them back to Los Angeles for about four weeks, much longer than she'd ever had to be gone in the past. She was grumbling a bit to Theo. "Dude, don't you ever get tired of staying in hotels." When he shrugged, she playfully pushed him in the chest. "We are going to be gone a month Theo. The lack of privacy offered in hotels is starting to get to me. I need my space man. I gotta have room for my own creative outlets. I bust my ass for other people, and sometimes I just have to get back to my own roots at night when I'm winding down."

"Let me see what I can do. Have to keep THE Beca Mitchell happy."

"Fucker."

That afternoon, Theo let Beca know that the label had access to a few AirBnB locations that they were willing to set her up with. "The management company will send in someone twice a week, Monday and Thursday, when you are in the studio to provide clean sheets, fresh linens, and wash dishes if needed. Otherwise the sovereign songwriter will not be disturbed."

Beca was satisfied with that and agreed that the label could provide a car service for her during the week, but when Chloe came to visit, she'd rent her own car. Theo laughed as he knew that his business partner was developing a penchant for swanky sports cars.

* * *

While Chloe was gloomy that Beca was going to be gone for so long this trip, she accepted that this was now her girlfriend's life. They would have their regular Skype dates, and Chloe would most likely visit each weekend. Stacie had gotten promoted to sergeant and had a slight bit of additional flexibility in taking time off. Therefore, their friends were going to try to join Chloe at least one weekend.

The brunette's bags were packed, waiting for her Uber by the front door. Since Beca would have a little more space this time, she slid one of her smaller personal mixers into her carry-on along with her laptop so she could work on her own songs at the rented house. She didn't want to go overboard with personal equipment having the basics was always a good thing.

Chloe crouched on the floor to get an artistic shot of the suitcases and posted it on Instagram and Twitter.  _I'm off to LA again. Thanks @delta for your ATL-LAX direct._ She then switched over to her account to retweet Beca's post.  _Missing my girl already ~frownie gif~_  Many of the super fans also followed Chloe's social media, so a "leak" such as this would give fans in Atlanta and Los Angeles ample time to get to the airport in hopes of seeing Beca Mitchell.

"Did you just do what I think you did?" Beca slipped on a pair of sunglasses as she walked out of the bedroom. She reached over to the cabinet in the living room and selected several more pair to drop in her bag. "You just opened the lion's den for the paps."

"This is more about your fans. You know you love your fans." Chloe wrapped her arms around Beca who was trying to act grumpy. "Besides you know leaks like this are in our master plan of solidifying your mysterious aloof-to-the-media nature while still being the awesome person you are to your fanbase." Chloe dropped some assorted glossy postcard headshots into Beca's purse along with some colored Sharpies. When Beca looked at her strangely, Chloe chirped. "I noticed that sometimes the littles who recognize you on the street or someplace don't have anything for you to sign. This will make you double amazing."

This time Beca rolled her eyes for real as she kissed her girlfriend. "You are adorable. I hope you know that."

"Yup," Chloe replied. "I'm going to miss you. Let me know when you get to their airport."

"… and when I get through security and when I board and when I land… I know the drill Chloe. I'll miss you, too. See you Friday night." A horn honked outside signifying her car was there, so Beca pressed one last kiss against Chloe's lips before lugging her bags to the waiting ride.

* * *

The next month went by quickly but dragged on at the same time. Beca loved her job; she just hated being separated from Chloe during the week. They always settled quickly into a routine. Skype dates on Tuesday and Thursday. Monday and Wednesday were reserved for dinner with clients or alone time for Beca so she could keep herself centered. Chloe always flew in on Friday and out on Sunday.

Staying at the AirBnB was much more conducive to Beca's creative processes which made for a happier mood. She also liked being able to cook her own meals if she wanted rather than depending on room service, take out or eating out which tended to get old quickly. When Chloe visited, Beca always cooked at least one huge dinner and one breakfast for Chloe so they could get a sense of home life normalcy and not lose themselves in the hustle and bustle Beca's crazy life brought.

During one Skype date, Beca was propped up on a huge pile of pillows with a bowl of popcorn balanced on her stomach. She was entertaining Chloe by trying to toss the snacks into the air and catch them in her mouth. "You are getting more kernels on the floor than in your mouth babe."

"I can't help it. Tiny person, tiny mouth." Beca smirked at the computer camera before leaning up and sending Chloe a kiss through the video. She sighed deeply and placed the bowl on the bed beside her. "I do miss you Chloe. I hope you know I think about you all the time."

Chloe rubbed her fist across the corner of one eye as she nodded. "I miss you, too." She didn't want to get all serious in fear she'd start crying. She'd done a good job of keeping her tears from Beca. Those were reserved for Aubrey. She didn't want to Beca to know how badly her absence affected her. She decided to change the subject. "Hey – good job on keeping up with social media. I like the selfies you are getting with artists, and Theo's been getting some good candid shots of you in the studio."

"Yeah, the singers and bands are more than willing to pose. I think we all enjoy being goofy."

"And I'm quite proud of your expert uploading and tagging abilities. Good job Mitchell!"

Beca ducked her chin as she blushed. "Ummm. There's a studio intern who posts the ones from my phone for me. She is tickled to death when I ask her."

Chloe got a good laugh out of that. "Well at least it's getting done. That's the important part. A funny thing – your fans are really getting to know your schedule when you are in LA. Many have send me DM's asking where we are going on our next mini-trip, like this weekend."

"Seriously? They do that? They know you come for a visit, like every weekend?"

"Duh Grasshopper. I think they hang on every post you or I make. Theo does want you to use social media to build your fanbase which is what we are doing."

Beca thought for a few moments. "Well I wasn't going to tell you, but that song I wrote when we had our little misunderstanding… We wrapped it. There's going to be a release party Saturday."

"Sweetie, you didn't tell me you had finished that song, more or less sold it! Congratulations. Are we going to the party?"

"Of course, my little muse. The studio said I could have up to ten additional pair of tickets. I originally only thought one pair since Stacie and Aubrey are coming."

Chloe leaned towards her screen. "Wait, Bree knew about this and she didn't tell me."

"Surprise?" Beca said sheepishly. "Anyway, that leaves us with nine extra pair." Her face broke out into a huge grin. "Guess whose fans are coming to the single drop party?"

"Are you serious? How are you going to arrange that? If the word gets out, there will be pandemonium!" Chloe was bouncing up and down on the bed with her excitement.

"You said you have regulars that follow both of us, not just me. I'd say they are bigger fans. Randomly pick nine in the Los Angeles area and DM them. I'll talk to Theo in the morning. We can make arrangements for them to pick up the tickets Friday and sign the non-disclosures to get the address. The publicity will be great. And any time we can get one over on the paps is a good day. #fansfirst"

"And this, Beca Mitchell, is yet another reason I love you!" Chloe's blue eyes were shining bright.


	5. Future Plans

"We are doing the right thing, right Theo? With this new recording label? I mean we were getting plenty of contracts before, yeah?" Back in Atlanta, Beca was second guessing her decision to build their own label this early in her career.

Being used to trying to allay his friend's insecurities and cautiousness, Theo immediately replied. "Mitchell, do you want to spend the rest of your life working in other people's studios and waiting for artists to come to you? Or do you want to go after the big fish? Work in your own building with familiar equipment, the  _same_  equipment for every song? Your own engineers? Hell, the same receptionist who knows exactly how you take your coffee! You know this is the right decision. It's just gonna take a lot of work to get there."

His friend just stared at him blankly as he ticked off reasons the studio was an excellent thing, so he brought up a huge sticking point for Beca. "Okay, think about it this way – do you want to keep leaving Chloe everything a huge project comes up – one that's too big for this loaner studio in Atlanta to handle."

"Ugh; you're right; you're right. And no, I don't. That's the one part I despise most about this. I feel so empty without her. Crazy that you can live your entire life without someone but then suddenly your entire world changes."

"Understood. Hey, I wanted to tell you that the label in Los Angeles was impressed with you bringing in those fans like you did. I think you started a new trend in fan appreciation."

Beca chuckled. "That was all Beale. She seems to have her own following on social media. I figured since I had extra tickets, why let them go to waste. Glad it worked out."

* * *

The brunette was feeling the pressure of turning the old warehouse in Atlanta into a state of the art recording studio while also keeping up with her current contracts. Beca's stress level was about to blow the top of her head off. The interior of the warehouse had been completely framed out, marking the various recording studios and offices.

Once Beca, Theo, and the architects had walked through several times to ensure the placements of everything were marked correctly, the electricians came in to wire the rooms with what was needed. Beca was most nervous about this because once the inspectors signed off on the electrical and plumbing, and the drywall went up, they were past the point of no return.

"Beca, just chill and let the guys do their job. You need a distraction in a bad way."

"Theo, these guys are making our future man. It has got to be perfect. Hey, on separate note, I've been thinking about that separate space they used to be the office out back. What are we going to do with that?"

Theo shrugged his shoulders. "Whatcha got in mind boss?"

"Don't call me that. I'm not your boss damn it." Beca shoved his shoulder. She then proceeded to tell him her idea. "But that's for later. Keep it under your hat. We need to finish the main building first." This intensity, the one of making such huge decisions, was another factor in her decision to leaving all the choices about their house to Chloe. And Chloe was in hog heaven in her role.

Yet another thought had been mulling around in Beca's head, so she tossed it out there. "Hey Theo, your local attorney. How tightly tied to her are you?"

He shook his head and sighed. "I'm not in the least. She's always pulled in a million directions. With our own place, the number of contracts we have will undoubtedly increase. We probably need to find someone who is would be dedicated a little more to our clients, know our preferences, and look out for our interests."

Beca laughed. "I think I may have someone in mind." Theo raised his eyebrows as he motioned for her to explain. "Remember, Aubrey is an attorney. She's intelligent as hell, and I have mad respect for the woman. I think she'd make a good fit." She shrugged noncommittally.

"Entertainment experience?"

"I'm not sure. She does corporate law at her current firm. But if anyone could learn, Aubrey's our woman. More importantly, I trust her."

* * *

Not being sure how to broach the subject with her girlfriend's best friend, Beca made an official appointment to see Aubrey at her firm. She thought it'd be better than bringing up business in an informal situation. She'd seen Aubrey in "work mode" and frankly was a tiny bit intimidated by the tall blonde. Beca convinced Theo to go along with her mostly for moral support as she wanted to pitch the idea to Aubrey herself. But he could also explain some of the nuances if she got in a bind.

The blonde's secretary buzzed her boss's phone on the intercom. "Ms. Posen, you two o'clock is here."

"Thank you; I'll be right out."

When Aubrey opened her outer office door and saw Theo and Beca sitting there sipping on lemon water, she was confused. "Beca?"

Her secretary stood up. "Ms. Posen, this is your two o'clock. Mr. Theo Davies and Ms. Beca Mitchell."

Trying to not chuckle outwardly, Aubrey motioned for them to come into her office before giving them both hugs and a much friendlier greeting. "What on earth are you doing here? You don't have to make an appointment to see me you big weirdo."

"Your firm might feel differently once they learn I'm trying to lure you away." Beca gave her a sideways grin. "You know Theo and I are starting our own record label here in Atlanta, right?" She then went on to explain that good entertainment lawyers in the city were few and far between. Beca and Theo wanted Aubrey to come on board to work with their clients. "You wouldn't be limited to just our clients, simply have to agree to put our people first."

"I want to send you to Los Angeles and New York so that you can learn more about the legal side of the entertainment industry as well as garner some tips and tricks from some of the attorneys I've worked with for years." Theo grinned as he explained. "Then our label will pay for you to learn the specifics of Georgia law as well as any continuing education you need beyond that."

About halfway through their pitch, Aubrey had leaned forward and was listening intently. When they were done, she asked. "Is this a serious offer Beca? Do I have to quit my job at the firm immediately?"

Beca ensured her that the offer was indeed serious, that Aubrey was not expected to be exclusive to the new label, and that she'd never be asked to resign. If the time came were the work was sufficient, Aubrey could make a decision about what to do on her own terms. Aubrey contemplated all that has been said and finally stood and moved from behind her desk and held out her hand. "Well Mr. Davis, Ms. Mitchell, you've certainly given me a lot to think about. I'll get back with you."

The trio then burst out laughing as they knew Aubrey was only teasing. "How much of a secret is this?"

Theo fielded this question. "That depends on how you feel your current employer will react. Plus, I don't want any other label to try to steal you and lock you into an exclusive contract."

"No, I mean Chloe? I presume she doesn't know. And Stacie?"

After rolling his eyes, Theo laughed. "Aren't the four of you joined at the hip anyway? I think it's safe to say that your little bridge club is a safe place to discuss this."

* * *

After Beca's Grammy wins, she had been given a bonus from both labels. As well, she immediately sold two more songs outright to top artists and signed a high dollar producing contract that came with a signing bonus as a perk. These provided a hefty down payment for the new construction of the new house. She also had the residuals and royalties from everything already out providing her a steady income.

Beca and Chloe had talked about a rough estimate about what dollar range Chloe could spend on the for the construction. Despite Chloe's exuberance and predisposition to go overboard, she tended to have a level head when such serious matters as money were at hand.

"Let me get this right bug." Beca was trying to not laugh at how adorable Chloe was as she showed her the rough blueprints for the house. "Five bedrooms and five bathrooms upstairs?"

Chloe nodded as she ticked off on her fingers. "Our room, Aubrey and Stacie's room, my parent's room, Aubrey's parents' room, and Stacie's parents' room."

"Ohhhh, okay." Beca grinned as if that made all the sense in the world. "Are they all moving in with us?"

"No silly," Chloe chirped as she swatted Beca's chest. "It's just how I justify the rooms in my mind. Anyway - total open concept living, dining, and kitchen areas on the main floor." The redhead was giggling as she pointed out various things she had planned out. "This house is going to be the bomb dream house, and we will never move again!"

Beca laughed as her fingers traced the next level on the blueprints. "Oh look, a basement garage with enough parking for three cars. Score! And my studio." She gave Chloe a kiss. "Thank you for remembering me. Is this a mother-in-law suite over here?"

"Nope, that's for our housekeeper, nanny, or whoever." Chloe spouted off nonchalantly.

"Nanny huh?"

"Gotta plan for the future, right?" The redhead winked and giggled as she knew they had never talked about their future much, especially not children.

Beca nodded as she tried to hide her smirk from her ecstatic girlfriend. "I suppose so. Wait! You have the laundry in the basement and the bedrooms on the third floor? Oh honey, no. Lugging the clothes and linens upstairs will be torture." She wrapped her arms around her girlfriend. "If that's the case, I refuse to do laundry."

Chloe traced her finger to a rectangle with an X. "Not when there is a dumbwaiter. We can use the elevator to shuttle clothes, groceries, whatever we want to any of the other floors." She then rolled up that blueprint to reveal another set of plans. "And this is outside."

"You've already started designing the outside, too?" Beca's soda about spurted out through her nose as she laughed.

"Yup." There was the road that came from the main highway labeled  _Ladybug Lane_  and a circular driveway which was labeled  _Grasshopper Circle._  "Of course, we can always pick real names later, but they have to have names with little street signs." Beca shook her head at Chloe's cuteness. The redhead continued to show her the rough plans for the back which included a pool and hot tub with lots of room for lounging.

The brunette tapped the structure which was closer to the house. "What's this babe?"

Chloe tried to act casual. She flipped her hair and put her hand on her hip as she chirped. "Oh, that's for my girlfriend. She's an A.MA.ZING cook. So, she not only gets a chef's kitchen inside; she also gets one outside." Beca's mouth dropped open as Chloe pointed out all the features to include prep space, two built in grills, an oven, and a full-sized refrigerator. The redhead could barely continue with all the kisses her girlfriend was smothering her around her face and neck. "Oh… and this, I thought she might like. An outdoor pizza oven."

As silly as she looked, Beca started hopping up and down and dancing in circles. She could feel most of her earlier stress melt away knowing the decision to put Chloe in charge of the house was an excellent one. "Oh my god Chlo I love you so much. This is incredible. I can't believe you've done all of this so quickly."

They went through the plans again with Beca only tweaking a few things. "Have the architect get with the guy who is doing the new studio for the specs on my home studio." The more Beca looked at Chloe's plans, the more excited she got. Knowing her girlfriend had things under control relieved her anxiety a great deal.

Then Beca snapped her fingers with a new idea. "Oh – and how about a pool house? I mean, since we are already going to be under massive construction out here, what's something else? Let's do a two-bedroom house with a living area in the middle which opens up to the pool with a huge roll-up garage type door."

Beca made mental note to call the architect in the morning to get some updated numbers. She needed to run them by her accountant to make sure that this over the top new house wouldn't be too much of a strain on her personal budget. If it was going to stretch things, she had already made up her mind to take on a few more contracts and bury herself even further in her work fore a while to make sure Chloe could have the perfect dream home.

* * *

The next afternoon, Chloe went back to the architect to have him make the adjustments she and Beca discussed. "Your woman came by this morning; you just missed her."

"Oh really?" Chloe raised her eyebrows. "Did she ask about my plans?" He nodded, and Chloe became nervous. "Am I spending too much? I mean she was excited when I shared the design with her." Chloe was shuffling her feet back and forth as her anxiety built.

"Not at all Chloe. Relax. She did ask for me to send her an update on the estimated pricing after the changes we work in today. She didn't seem annoyed or bothered by the price tag at all. Personally, I got the impression that she simply wanted to ensure that no surprises came along with money."

Chloe's demeanor lightened up a bit. "I know I have a lot of grand ideas to put into this house. I want a house that Beca and I can grow into – one that won't become too small if we decide to have a family or end up taking care of our parents. Is that silly?"

"Not at all Chloe. Building a house is an expensive undertaking, and you actually are making some wise choices. Everything flows well together. Now adding onto a house after it's finished becomes complicated, and even well-done additions can be disjointed."

After they went through the changes Beca had wanted and added the pool house, the architect printed out another set of blueprints for the redhead. She snapped a few pictures – ones that didn't provide much detail but were enough to show intent and had the architect snap one of her wearing a yellow hard hat and holding rolled up plans, grinning from ear to ear. These pictures she posted on her own social media accounts, this time tagging Beca.

_Building a future with my love #becamitchell._

* * *

Despite having Aubrey as an integral part in her life, Stacie found that she was increasingly missing her best friend who always seemed to be buried in work, out of town, or otherwise unavailable. She texted Beca one Friday to see if they could get together the next day while their girlfriends were doing their Saturday routine. Luckily Beca was free and jumped at the chance since she, too, was missing her buddy.

The two brunettes met early in the afternoon at a local bar on the outskirts of town, one the paparazzi hadn't learned about yet. Stacie returned to the booth with two beers and handed one to the shorter brunette. "Bree told me you offered her a position as label attorney. You serious with that?" Beca nodded. "That meant a lot to her Becs. I sometimes wonder how you two got so close. It's all cool and stuff, but the Mitchell I knew wasn't ever like this. With anyone but me."

"I trust her Conrad. She's the best person for the job, and because I trust her, that makes her even more worthy. How are you two doing by the way?"

"If you were ever home, you'd know." Stacie chucked her best friend on the shoulder. "I realize you have different responsibilities now, but yeah – things are good. Actually, they are great! How about you and Chloe?"

"Chloe is an angel." Beca told her friend all about the house plans. "She's designing us a humongous mansion Stace. Honestly, it's pretty humorous, like it's our forever home. Hell, maybe it is. But you know, I'd do anything for that woman. Personally, I think she's doing the Cancer thing and nesting." The friends shared a few more beers as they talked about random things. "I love her Stacie."

"I know you do Becs. I love Bree, too. More than I ever thought I could love someone. I truly never knew I could care so deeply for someone. Have you ever talked about more serious future plans with Chloe? Aubrey and I always seem to dance around the subject without making much headway."

"Nope. The conversation has never gotten that far. Maybe it needs to though." A serious look crossed Beca's face. "You know what Stace? To hell with the conversation. Maybe it's time we put ourselves out of our misery and make honest women out of them; what do you think?"

The taller brunette nodded her head as she finished her beer. "I think that's an awesome plan. Let's do it."

* * *

Stacie was nervous the entire trip to Reagan Washington National airport in the D.C. area. Despite Aubrey's father's long military career which took them all over the world, he and his wife had chosen to retire and live in the same Virginia community in which Aubrey was born. While General Posen was out of the Army, he still did a great deal of contract work with the government, and the proximity to the Pentagon was convenient.

General Posen had always been overly friendly to Stacie, but she did know how far those niceties would extend once she asked him what she was planning on asking. She'd been practicing what she wanted to say for quite some time, continually changing her words, but it never sounded compelling enough. When she inquired about coming for a short visit, Stacie was sure he knew the reason behind her visit, but that didn't ease her nerves much.

Aubrey's father met the tall police officer at the door. "Welcome to our home. My wife is out for the afternoon, but she should be back shortly. May I get you a drink?" Stacie accepted a glass of wine then as they made their way to his office. He took a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk and motioned for her to join her in the adjacent chair. Not having the large desk between them was less intimidating as if he could sense her anxiety.

Stacie swallowed her nerves before beginning the speech she'd prepared. "Thank you for taking the time to see me today General Posen. First, I want to tell you how much I've enjoyed getting to know you and Mrs. Posen, and I appreciate being welcomed into the family. I know that accepting Aubrey being with a woman must have been difficult, so thank you." General Posen went to say something, but Stacie stopped him. "If I don't keep going, I don't think I can." He laughed at her edginess.

"You are amazing parents, and I know that Aubrey is such a kind and caring person today because of that. Your daughter means the world to me, and I hope to spend the rest of my life proving that to her. I'm here today because I would like to ask your daughter to marry me, and I would be honored to have your blessing." Stacie let out a sigh of relief that she had gotten through asking for his daughter's hand in marriage. Now she just had to wait for his response.

General Posen sat for a while, apparently contemplating his response. He quietly got up and went to a cabinet in the back of his office. After a few moments, he found what he was searching for and returned to the chair next to Stacie. He looked at her and smiled broadly. "Stacie, from the first time I saw my daughter and you together, I knew you were destined to be together. I wholeheartedly give you my permission to marry my daughter."

He handed her what he had searched for in his drawers, a small box. Stacie opened the box to find an antique engagement ring which was incredibly unique and beautiful. She looked up at General Posen questioningly. "This was her great-grandmother's. I understand that this may not be Aubrey's style, but I'm sure she will appreciate the sentiment. After she accepts your proposal, and I know she will, you two can decide to get a new ring or to have this one recrafted."

Stacie put the ring back in its protective box and slipped it into her pocket. She was surprised when Aubrey's father stood up and gave her a warm hug. "Welcome to the family Stacie. Now … about this General Posen business, how about you call me David?" Stacie swallowed deeply and complied.

* * *

Once Aubrey's mother came home, she quickly established that Stacie was to address her future mother-in-law as Tricia. As they sat down for a nicely prepared home meal, Stacie shared that Beca was making a similar trip to Oregon to talk to Chloe's family. Of course, the Posens knew Chloe quite well since the pair had been inseparable since they met in college.

When Tricia asked about wedding details, Stacie responded, "Mrs. Pos… Tricia, honestly Beca and I aren't the type to plan weddings. But your daughter and her best friend are perfect. As you know, Bree and Chloe have done everything together since college, so Beca and I are going to suggest we have a joint wedding."

Aubrey's mother clapped her hands together and announced that was an excellent idea. She looked at her husband. "And did you give Stacie your grandmother's ring?" He laughed and acknowledged that he did.

General Posen retired to the den for dessert and coffee before Stacie had to return to her hotel. Her flight was early in the morning, and she had heard horror stories about the D.C. traffic. Tricia shooed Stacie out of the kitchen, so she was wandering around the family home looking at pictures of Aubrey growing up while waiting on the coffee to brew.

General Posen quietly but proudly spoke from across the room. "She was a cute kid. Smart as a whip that girl. Always had us on our toes."

Stacie saw another shelf with some additional pictures along with framed American flag folded into a triangle with a set of dog-tags draped over the corners. Beside that was a snapshot of young, blonde man clothed in full Army dress uniform. On the other side was a picture taken with tan canvas tents as a backdrop. The photo displayed a pair of cream boots sitting in the sand. Behind them was a SA80 stuck muzzle first into the sand with a set of dog tags hanging from the hand-grip. On the butt of the rifle was balanced a sand-colored, cammo-covered helmet with a corporal insignia.

As she looked at the other pictures, she realized they were also more pictures of Aubrey as a child but with a boy that looked remarkably similar to her girlfriend, same hair, same eyes, same features. Stacie examined the pictures closely, afraid to ask the General any questions. _Had Aubrey not told her everything about her family?_

General Posen must have sensed Stacie's discomfort when she sat in the chair after looking at the almost shrine-like display. "I take it my daughter has not told you about Austin." Stacie shook her head. "She has struggled with his death for years. I suppose Tricia and I still struggle as well. One never completely gets over the loss of a child." Stacie could tell that the military man was grappling with his emotions. "When she sees the ring, she'll know you came here. And she will put two and two together that you saw the pictures. I hope you don't mind if I wait to let my daughter share with you in her own time. She was very fond of her twin brother."

"I don't mind at all sir." Stacie was utterly shocked to find out that her soon to be fiancé had a twin brother she knew nothing about. Yet she also knew General Posen was right in letting Aubrey share the story in her own time.

* * *

Once Stacie returned to Atlanta, she and Beca got together to compare stories about facing each of their possible fiancé's parents. "I think I got the easier end of the deal Stacie. Mr. Beale is so easy going, and her mom – let's just say she reacted a lot like I feel Chloe's going to react. Like mother, like daughter."

"I don't know Beca. David and Tricia were pretty cool." She pulled out the ring to show Beca as well. "It belonged to her great-grandmother."

"Wait! David and Tricia? You are on a first name with General Posen and his wife?" Stacie laughed as she nodded. "I'm impressed. And you got a family heirloom? Aubrey is going to flip!"


	6. Proposals and Family Truths

As a part of the brunettes' master plan, Beca had taken Aubrey out shopping to help pick out an engagement ring for Chloe. The blonde was over the moon that Beca was going to pop the question to her best friend. Similarly, Stacie showed Chloe the antique engagement ring from General Posen and got assurances that it was proper to present it to Aubrey when she asked for her hand in marriage. Beca and Stacie carefully connived their tactics to ensure neither woman knew the extent of what was in store for her best friend.

When the big evening arrived, Aubrey was thinking that the night was going to be all about Chloe, and Chloe thinking the same about Aubrey. They each got ready for a double date with their favorite women, excited to see their best friend get engaged. Both Chloe and Aubrey thought they each knew exactly everything the night held in store. Little did they know what all would be happening and that neither of them knew the whole of what would be taking place.

While the four women were waiting for the dessert course to be served, Stacie and Beca decided to make their moves. Aubrey smiled as she watched Beca get down on one knee in front of Chloe who was watching Stacie kneel in front of Aubrey. When each of the college friends realized their own girlfriend was in front of her on bended knee, it was as if a veil dropped around them as everything around them disappeared. It was just each woman alone with the love of her life. Nobody else was around, and nothing else mattered.

Chloe looked down at Beca who was beaming up at the redhead. She didn't even give the brunette time to speak before saying, "yes, yes, yes, yes!"

Beca shook her head as she smiled and said, "No Chloe, you have to at least let me ask first." She cocked an eyebrow at her girlfriend as she gave her a sideways grin. I had wanted to write you a song for this, get up on stage, and well you know how I get. But then I got to thinking. Our friends are why we are here today.  _You_  are why I am here today. So, I decided to keep it simple so we could share the evening and this with our friends. I love you Chloe Beale with every bit of my soul. Will you marry me?"

"Yes, Beca Mitchell, yes I will marry you." She allowed Beca to slide the titanium engagement ring on her finger. "Oh baby, it's perfect." Chloe pulled her fiancé to her feet, slipped her arms around her waist, and pressed her lips firmly against Beca's.

As their kiss ended, Beca leaned back slightly to gaze at the beautiful woman standing before her. "Aubrey helped pick it out. I'm glad you approve." The tiny brunette smiled softly at her new fiancé.

With the mention of her best friend, Chloe realized that they were still standing in a crowded restaurant with their friends on the other side of the table. She looked over to see Stacie still kneeling in front of a seated Aubrey, holding the engagement ring she had offered her girlfriend. Aubrey's head was buried in her hands as she appeared to be crying. Chloe's instinct was to rush over to comfort her friend but was held back by Beca. "Baby, this is their time. Let Stacie handle it."

Through her tears, Aubrey looked down at her girlfriend trying to comprehend everything that was going on in front of her. "Is that my great-grandmother's ring?" Stacie nervously nodded. She wasn't quite sure how Aubrey would react at all of this and still wasn't sure how to take it. "How did you get it?" Stacie stayed quiet as she knew her girlfriend was simply processing. "Honey, my daddy had that ring. Did you go to Virginia?"

"Yes Bree." Stacie kept her voice soft. "David insisted on giving it to me. He also said that you didn't have to wear it as your engagement ring. He even gave his permission to use it to create one for you, but he wanted you to have it."

"David? You are on a first name basis with Daddy?" Stacie grinned as she nodded. Aubrey seemed to be coming out of her haze.

"Aubrey Posen, I love you more than anything." She reached up, gently wiped the tears from her girlfriend's face. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you." She offered the ring once more. "Will you do the honors of marrying me?"

The blonde nodded her head furiously and said, "Yes Stacie Conrad. Of course, I will." She held out her left hand for Stacie to put the ring on her finger.

"I wasn't sure if you would want to wear this ring. So, I didn't have it resized yet. If you want your great-grandmother's ring, we'll go first thing tomorrow and have it fitted for your finger."

Aubrey held out her hand again. "Baby, it will fit. You don't know how many times I have snuck into Daddy's office and found his 'special hiding place'. Even during college, I'd slip on the ring and pretend someone had just asked for my hand in marriage. It's a family heirloom and very special to me. I can't believe Daddy gave it to you." True to her words, the ring fit perfectly when Stacie slipped it on Aubrey's finger.

At that point, Aubrey realized that Beca and Chloe were standing across the table watching. Her redhead best friend was standing with Beca's arm around her shoulders, tears running down her face. But the shiny titanium ring on her left hand let her know that both college friends were now officially engaged.

* * *

Chloe and Aubrey spent considerable time admiring each other's engagement rings as the four finished their desserts which had been timed to come out immediately after the proposal. The restaurant also sent over a bottle of celebratory champagne. Many of the nearby patrons gave a round of applause for the newly engaged couples as the cork popped on the bubbly drink.

"You two sure did fool us with tonight's plans." Chloe shyly looked at her new fiancé as she gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. She flashed her eyes towards Stacie. "I thought Aubrey was getting the proposal."

Stacie chuckled. "Well Red, I did ask her to marry me. You two need to know that Beca and I are pretty adept at being romantic fools in our own rights."

"You always made it clear that you two have been inseparable since college." Beca chuckled. "It only seemed right for you to get engaged on the same night."

"There is no way that you two could ever know how much this means to me, to us." Aubrey's eyes were bright with excitement yet shimmering in tears. The evening's emotions had adrenaline racing through her system, almost to the point of being overwhelming.

Stacie could feel her fiancé's body quivering and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. She reached over and pressed her lips against the blonde's temple and whispered calming words into her ear. Chloe, who now was sitting next to her best friend, was concerned but knew that Stacie's consoling would mean a lot more to Aubrey.

Beca scooped up the last bite of her cheesecake onto her fork and popped it into her mouth. Maybe tonight wasn't the best time to spring another surprise, the idea of a joint wedding, on the two newly engaged women. Aubrey seemed to be barely holding herself together. As they were waiting for their respective cars to be brought up by the valet, Beca leaned up on her tiptoes and whispered that they might hold off a few days to talk about the wedding. Stacie nodded her head, and she stepped forward to open the car door for the tall blonde.

* * *

A few nights after the grand proposal, Stacie and Aubrey were relaxing on the couch with a cup of hot tea. Stacie shared with her fiancé about her trip to Virginia and asking for her father's permission. "Your parents were not surprised in the least that I wanted to ask you to marry me. I, on the other hand, was shocked as hell when your dad insisted on me calling him by his first name."

"Did Daddy tell you about Austin?" Aubrey's father was right about her quickly realizing that Stacie had probably seen pictures of her brother when she visited the house. The blonde's voice was timid and quiet.

Stacie shook her head. "He only said you loved your brother immensely, and you would tell me about him in your own time."

Aubrey snuggled back deeply into the safety of her fiancé's arms and told her all about her twin brother, Austin. What it was like growing up with someone who was a laid-back version of herself and all the fun they used to have. "God how I loved him and miss him so much."

**_Flashback to Aubrey's Senior Year at Barden_ **

_The doorbell to Chloe and Aubrey's rental house rang. Knowing that Chloe was getting ready for a date, Aubrey called out, "I got it." Chloe had begged her best friend to go on a double date with her, but Aubrey had refused. She had felt off kilter for the past few days and couldn't quite put her finger on the odd feeling so had chosen to stay in for the evening. She opened the door to see her brother's best friend standing there in full dress uniform._

_"Matty," she squealed as she went to give him a hug. However, her joy in seeing her brother's buddy quickly faded as she saw his terse face, barely holding his emotions in check. Looking behind him, she also saw an Army chaplain and medic. "No Matt. NO!" Aubrey moved forward and began to beat her fists against the young soldier's chest. She nearly collapsed against him as she wept._

_The soldier stepped inside the house gently taking the crying blonde in his arms and seating her on the couch before standing tall at attention. He looked at his best friend's twin sister and with great sadness in his eyes and voice as he spoke. "The Secretary of the Army has entrusted me to express his deep regret that your brother, Corporal Austin Posen was killed in action in Fallujah, Iraq on March 10, 2012. The Secretary extends his deepest sympathy to you and your family in your loss." He couldn't maintain his resoluteness any longer and broke down. "Bree I'm so sorry." By this time, Aubrey was almost on her knees wailing. He gathered her in his arms as the other soldiers stepped inside as well._

_When she heard her best friend weeping, Chloe came racing to the living room. As she saw the military men in the foyer, and Matthew holding Aubrey on the couch, she immediately knew something happened to Austin, the worst. "Does her father know?" she asked._

_He nodded and let Chloe know that General Posen was notified that morning at the Pentagon. "I asked if I could come for Bree." The redhead left her friend's side and went in search of a sedative. The medic stopped her and provided some medication he had brought for that purpose._

_Eventually Aubrey calmed down enough to function somewhat, she told Matthew that she hadn't been feeling right for the past few days. "I should have known something had happened to Austin. What did happen Matty? Can you tell me?"_

_Despite being against official protocol, Austin sat on the couch next to the blonde. "I actually got approval to tell you a little. Are you sure you want to know?"_

_Aubrey wrapped her arm through Matt's and pulled him close to her. "Yes Matty. I do."_

_"He's a true hero Bree. Our squad was outside the perimeter on patrol and came across a young local, barely military age. Austin went to question him, and the boy began acting nervous. Apparently, your brother had a feeling that something was wrong and put his hand on the boy's waist and felt the bomb strapped to his body. He screamed for all of us to scatter as he shoved the kid behind the hull of a shelled-out tank." Matthew began to cry. "He threw his body on top of that fucking kid and went and got himself killed."_

_As much as he tried to stay a hardened military man, Matthew's eyes betrayed his pain. "I tried to save him Bree. I promise I tried. By the time we got to him, it was too late. I didn't know what to do, so I just sat there with him in my arms so he wouldn't die alone. Nobody should ever die alone. Especially out there."_

_Matthew pulled a letter out of his dress jacket and gave it to his best friend's sister. She recognized Austin's scrawl which was enough to set her off crying again. "He wrote letters to all of three of you. Hell, the bastard even wrote me one. I can't open it."_

"The chaplain prayed with everyone for a bit. After that, Chloe packed us both bags, and we went to Virginia for his funeral. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery." Stacie didn't know what to say or how to react, so she just held Aubrey who had started weeping softly.

After calming herself, Aubrey got up and went to a decorative box on a shelf. When she returned, she came back with an old, faded, and rumpled envelope which was still sealed. "I never opened his letter. I know that once I do, my brother is truly never coming back." Stacie's heart was breaking for her strong and powerful fiancé.

"I'm sorry I never told you about him. I've always had a hard time with sharing about Austin. Other than my immediate family and family friends, only Chloe knows that I even had a brother."

No additional words were spoken as Stacie just sat with her arms wrapped around her fiancé.

* * *

When Chloe and Aubrey were asked if they would be interested in having a double wedding, of course they immediately agreed. Getting married at the same time, in the same venue only made sense. Aubrey and Chloe's families knew each other, and they had mutual friends from college. All four of them had local friends. Chloe made up her mind that she wanted to have the wedding at her and Beca's new house, so they selected a date that ensured construction would be complete. She then summarily threatened the contractor with his life to live up to his deadlines.

Together, Chloe and Aubrey began planning their wedding and reception down to the minute detail, well the parts that they could have a say in. Beca's personal assistant had taken care of the sending out the invitations and collecting the RSVP's for the business associates Beca needed to invite. These included artists, label owners, and producers with whom she had worked and would soon be courting once the new label was up and running. Theo had insisted that somebody else take that part off Chloe's shoulders because of the intricacies behind what would end up being a "celebrity wedding" once the press found out.

Theo also worked with Stacie's operations team leader to hire security for the evening. The Atlanta Special Operations team would provide the local muscle and coordinate with the body guards of some of the more famous stars coming in to make sure everything went smoothly. Stacie harassed her work buddies that this was the only way they'd get to come to the wedding when in truth she had invited her best friends from Ops as well as from the precinct in which she and Beca used to work together.

"Babe, I need you to provide me with the guest list so we can do the seating arrangements for the reception dinner." Chloe went to drape her arms over her girlfriend's shoulders. She nuzzled her face beneath Beca's hair and fluttered her eyelashes against her girlfriend's neck.

Chill bumps appeared on the brunette's neck as she gave an involuntary shiver. "You just want to know who all is coming so you can fan-girl in private." Beca loved teasing her girlfriend who had a hard time keeping her excitement level down when she got to meet different artists her fiancé worked with.

Chloe jokingly started acting haughty. "Why Beca Mitchell, do you know how hard it is planning a wedding? Especially when I don't know how many people to expect or who is coming?" She batted her long eyelashes, something she knew Beca had a hard time resisting.

"My assistant has already sorted out the messy seating arrangements, but I'll get everything couriered over so that you'll have a guest list and count. BUT you cannot freak out at the guest list. And the list is only for Aubrey and your eyes. It's can't be leaked. Oh, and the music. Theo wants to handle the music as a wedding present. That okay?"

"Aca-awesome." Chloe sighed a breath of relief as she'd been concerned at what to do when she knew some heavy hitters from the music industry were bound to show up and even thinking of organizing the music was intimidating as hell. "Okay, we have rooms for the family members here. All the parents have their own room, and my brother is staying in the basement. Aubrey and I invited some of our girlfriends from our a capella group in college. Do you mind if they stay in the pool house?" Beca shook her head. "Great! Now we don't have to worry about shuttling any of the main commoners from a hotel."

"Commoners?" Beca started tickling her girlfriend. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Come on Beca. All your guests are like millionaires or ultra famous. Our guests are just our immediate families and a few friends." Beca got a far-away look in her eyes. "Oh babe, I didn't mean anything bad by it. I was just teasing. We are fortunate to be able to have our immediate family stay here so they can be close." She wrapped her arms around the shorter brunette and tried to hug and kiss her sadness away.

"Not everyone can stay here though Chlo. There are several sets of grandparents, and I know there are a slew of aunts and uncles just on your side. You have to invite them; I insist. You only get married once."

Now it was Chloe's turn to look sad. "Beca it just doesn't seem right for all of us to be surrounded with all our family when…"

"Look Chloe, I understand. And it's okay. All that matters to me is that I am marrying the love of my life.  _You_  are the only person I care that's there. Just don't leave me at the altar." Beca winked at the redhead to let her know she was kidding. "Please, I want you three to have your families here. We are already going all out; what's a few more guests?"

Since she had the go-ahead from Beca, Chloe texted Aubrey that they were expanding their guest list to include grand-parents, aunts, uncles, and maybe a random cousin or two. None of the women could ask anymore from their tiny songwriter.


	7. Coming Home

Beca walked across the stage with her guitar slung over her shoulder. When the lights came up, she stepped up to the mic and began to sing. She was nervous as hell, but as soon as the music started, all that faded away. The trepidation in her stomach turned to comfort and warmth as she began her song.

_I wake up feeling, in my soul I'm/Living someone else's life/I'm turning into concrete, harder than these city streets/Where no one even cares if I'm alive/ I gotta get it right/Get it right, mmm mmm_

Behind her the massive screens flashed scenes from the busy streets of Los Angeles. Traffic along the roads and people walking along the sidewalks were all sped up to represent the hustle and bustle of the metropolis.

_There's a place that I know where they all know me/I gotta get back now to the ones who love me/Wrap myself around you, never let you go/There's nothing in the world that feels like/The place that I know where they all know me/_

The screen now flashed different small video clips and stills. One was of Stacie's special operations unit standing in formation, all decked out in gear with their arms crossed and shades on their eyes looking up at a camera. Another was a candid video of Chloe, Beca, Stacie, and Aubrey walking down the street eating ice cream cones and laughing as well as pictures of Beca, her fiancé and friends.

_I've gotta get back now to the ones who love me/Wrap myself around you, never let you go/There's nothin' in the world that feels like_

A silhouette of Beca facing the back of another woman framed by next words on the screen. The pictures and videos were flashing rather quickly, hard for someone not intimately familiar with Beca's life to understand but, the images matched the words to the song perfectly.

_Coming home, home, home, mmm/Coming home_

_My mind's heavy and I can't sleep, not even a memory/Is good enough to get me through the night, mmm/I'm longing for the real thing, people who know the real me/And all the ways to love me back to life_

The screen split with images from a drone flying over a building under constructing, zooming in to the words  _Atlanta Feed and Seed_  on the tall brick building. The other side was an eagle's look time-delay image of the beginnings of Beca and Chloe's house being built.

_Mmm, I gotta get it right, ooh, yeah/Get it right, ooh, yeah_

Next up was a longer instrumental portion with Beca strumming long notes on her guitar. The earlier silhouette lightened to reveal Chloe dancing with the wind blowing in her scarlet hair, gazing into the camera as if she could only see Beca through the lens.

_There's nothin' in the world that feels like/Coming home/_  
_I'm feeling lost in all the madness/I need somewhere to ease my mind/Coming home  
_ _These sidewalks filled with different faces/So many place but there's none like mine/Coming home_

As the music notes faded and the stage lights dropped to black, the audience went wild. The lights came back up, and Ellen ran out to greet her. "Singing her new single Coming Home for the first time live, Beca Mitchell everyone. See you after the break."

* * *

Beca quickly ditched her guitar and ran off stage to change her shirt. "God I'm gross Theo. I'm not sure whether I sweated more because of nerves or the lights."

"You did good Beca. Now get out there and slay this interview."

"Ms. Mitchell, we are back live in 5-4-3…" the producer held up her fingers, two, one.

Ellen's voice came from the stage. "Wasn't that a treat everyone? I'll have you know that this little woman is in high demand. If you know anything about her at all, you know she doesn't give interviews or do performances. She just works her butt off and wins Grammys. Please give a warm welcome to two-time Grammy winner song writer and producer, Beca Mitchell."

The crowd went crazy, standing up and clapping before Beca even hit the stage. Beca came out and couldn't escape the traditional Ellen hug, but at least Chloe had made sure she was prepared for it. "Thanks Ellen. I'm honored to be here." She awkwardly waved at the crowd before sitting down.

"Kind of a big thing today. First live performance, first interview, lots of firsts. Why now?"

Beca gave a sheepish grin. "I suppose you could say that today is pretty monumental, Yeah. I have a lot going on in my life, and I figured now is as good of time as any."

"I have to say that the song you sang is fantastic. Wow!"

"Thank you. Dropped today matter of fact." Beca nodded. She had since tuned out the audience and focused only on her conversation with the hostess.

"The video seemed to tell a whole story. Can you give us a little bit of background?"

Beca grinned. "We put together the montage to tell a little about my life and why I wrote this song. I've spent a lot of time in Los Angeles lately, and everything is so sprawled out – dirty and impersonal. Most of the time when I'm here, all I can do is think of going home where things are more normal for me. You saw a few shots of the Atlanta Police Department." The audience clapped. "Thank you," she acknowledged the applause. "I used to work for the PD there. There were some clips of Stacie and Aubrey, our best friends. And you also saw part of the construction of the new studio my partner and I are building, and our new house."

"Our? You and your business partner are building a studio and a house?" Knowing what the singer had meant, Ellen was teasing Beca whose face flushed red.

"No. I mean I love Theo and all. But the house is for Chloe and me."

"And Chloe is the redhead we saw dancing in the video, right."

Beca blushed and nodded as her smile widened. "My fiancé." The crowd clapped and cheered.

"How'd she like the new song?" Ellen asked. "It seems to have a great deal of personal meaning for the both of you."

"Ummmm she hasn't heard it. Well she has now, but not before all of you." Beca pointed at the audience. "Today was her first listen."

Ellen looked confused. "But she was dancing to it."

Beca chuckled. "No, she was just dancing. She does that a lot. I got her to a photo shoot on a wind stage here during her last visit to LA and just told her to dance and have fun. She has no idea. Well, had no idea. Hi honey." Beca sheepishly waved to the camera.

"As much as I hate to say this, our time is up. I think we have only scratched the surface of what's behind Beca Mitchell. Thanks for coming." Ellen got up to give Beca a goodbye hug. As the show went to commercial, the cameras panned Beca moving through the audience signing autographs and taking selfies with the fans.

* * *

Chloe had been anxious all day since she knew that Beca was taping Ellen that morning. She would still be at work when it aired in Atlanta, and that itself was killing her. She had tried to ask for a few days off-work to go to Los Angeles for the taping, but Beca wanted her to stay in school. Aubrey, Stacie, and Chloe all agreed on a media blackout until they could have their own viewing party at Aubrey and Stacie's house that evening when they were all off work.

The girls ordered take out and were eating in their comfy clothes. Chloe was nervous and excited all at the same time. "Have you heard the song she's singing?" Stacie scooped some noodles into her mouth with chopsticks.

"Nope. It's all been some mystery. I couldn't even get anything out of Theo, and I even bribed him with chocolate chip cookies!"

Once they were ready, Aubrey started the DVR. As soon as Beca stepped on stage, Stacie grabbed the remote and paused it. "Seriously? She's on national television and wearing that? Oh Beca." The tiny singer was wearing a typical outfit – black tank top under a purple plaid button down, opened and tight skinny jeans with holes across both knees tucked into black combat boots.

"I think she looks adorable," Chloe chirped. "She's being herself – comfortable. Leave my fiancé alone Stace." The redhead grabbed the remote and restarted the segment, putting the remote far away from Stacie's hands.

The three watched in complete silence. When the performance was over, Chloe sat there in shock. She grabbed the remote and replayed it. When the Atlanta Police portion came up, she paused it. Stacie moved close to the screen and named off everyone. Chloe paused it again when the videos and pictures of Stacie and Aubrey came up and the ones of the four of them together. "Did you guys see someone videoing us or taking these shots?" With each few seconds advanced, Aubrey named off where they were when the clip or picture was taken.

"And that's the new studio, and OMG, our house being built." When Chloe's segment came up, she began crying. As the video moved into her dancing, she was moving into shock.

"I thought you hadn't heard the song Chloe." Aubrey looked at her friend.

"The first time I heard it was today with you guys."

"But you are dancing to it." The blonde looked confused.

"No. I'm just dancing. Beca took me to a photo shoot and said she wanted me to just have some fun. So… she put on some random song, and we danced. She's off camera but I danced by myself with her in front of me."

The trio were in shock at what Beca had put together to emphasize the meaning of the song. They all wanted to watch the performance one more time before they got to the interview. By now, the enormity of the song was sinking in – the words, the video, the meanings, everything. Then Ellen's actual interview was just the icing on the cake.

Right after the interview was done, Aubrey's doorbell rang. Since Bree and Chloe were involved in an intense conversation, Stacie went to answer the door. "Chloe, it's for you."

Confused, Chloe trotted over to the door. There, standing against the door frame, was Beca. The redhead threw her arms around her fiancé and buried her head in Beca's hair. "Babe! What are you doing here?"

"Coming home Bug. Coming home."

* * *

Fortunately for him, the contractor was able to complete construction on the house in time for Chloe's interior designer to have plenty of time to decorate the house before they had to be concerned about the outdoor decorations for the wedding. Because of her schedule and work obligations, Beca had not been out to the new house during most of the construction, just cursory walk-throughs while the house was in various rough stages. Then once their home had gotten to a certain point, Chloe forbade her from visiting to keep everything a big surprise.

When things were in place just right, Chloe decided she wanted to have a house-warming party with some of their local friends, particularly the ones who weren't going to be a part of the wedding. Because of the decision to add extended family to the wedding list, many of the friends and co-workers had to be trimmed because of space and logistics. But they were promised that the house-warming party would be much more fun than a stuffy wedding anyhow.

For the grand event, the redhead had a private chef lined up to cater from their kitchen inside the house. The roll-up door to the pool house was raised, and two bartenders set up shop on that side of the pool. Stacie insisted on manning the outdoor grills and made plans for Beca to be on the pizza oven once she finally got a chance to tour her own house.

Beca arrived right before the party was to begin, and Chloe met her by the garages in the basement. The redhead was so excited that she couldn't wait for Beca to get out of her truck. She flung open the door and offered her hand to her fiancé. "Welcome home Grasshopper."

Chloe was literally quivering with excitement. "I promise I won't show you  _everything_  right now – just the important stuff. Like this room for example." She dragged her through the open garage doors and tugged open the door to an expansive basement room which was decked out in recording equipment, Beca's personal instruments, and everything the songwriter/producer could dream of in a home office.

A shocked Beca stood there and walked around, touching each piece of equipment. "Wow Chlo. This is something else. This is … damn. It's too much. Thank you." She wrapped her arms around the redhead and gave her a long, sensual kiss.

Chloe giggled and pulled back. "Careful babe, we have a lot of people who will be here soon, and there's lots more to show you. Keep that up, and we won't make it out of the basement."

They held hands as they climbed the stairs to the main level. "We'll save the upstairs for later." Chloe whispered as she gave Beca a sexy wink. She proudly showed Beca the living and dining areas which led right into the massive kitchen. The chef Chloe had hired was seemingly utilizing every bit of counter space and every piece of restaurant grade equipment in her preparation of food for the guests.

The scene was almost overwhelming as Beca just took in everything that Chloe had designed. As they headed outside, something in the living room caught Beca's eye. She stopped, pulling on Chloe's hand, and pointed. "Is that…?" Beca knew it was but couldn't quite believe what she was seeing.

"It's an early wedding present from Selena." Chloe was beaming at how surprised her fiancé was.

Beca released Chloe's hand and walked over to the instrument. She ran her fingers over the concert grand piano, slightly smudging the shiny surface. She looked back to Chloe. "Is this a Steinway?" Chloe nodded. Beca took a seat at the piano which must have been at least nine feet, lifted the lid, and began to play a beautiful piece. "I don't know what to say. Is she coming to the wedding?"

"Yes, babe. On the condition that you play an original song for her."

Beca grinned. She got up, closed the lid and went back to Chloe, so they could go outside and see their friends who were starting to arrive. The entire back of the house leading to the pool area was made up of either windows or oversized French doors. They stepped down the flagstone stairs and stood to admire the pool and hot tub.

Cocking her head sideways, Beca stared at the pool's edge, right above the water line. She meandered around the pool, eyes locked on the tiles and then circled back. She then hummed a few notes. "Babe?" Beca turned to look at Chloe who was patiently waiting for Beca to make the connection. "You put music notes around the pool?"

Chloe nodded. Beca looked at the notes and hummed again. Her eyes began to well up. "That's my song? That's the intro to  _Hurt Somebody_!" As much as she tried, she couldn't keep the tears from falling. "I can't believe you thought to put the notes to my song around the edge of the pool like that."

"I put a lot of consideration into everything Becs. I love you. Nobody even really has to know the meaning behind the notes – but the musical ones of us will. And that will make it even more special." Chloe pulled Beca's face to hers with both hands and kissed her strongly. "Now enough of the house, for now. We have a party to join."

Beca trotted back up the short steps at the outdoor kitchen where Stacie was busy at the grills. "Fancy foods there sarge," Beca teased as the tall woman was keeping things simple by flipping burgers and hot dogs.

"Hey now! The professional chick inside is cooking more adult type foods. Lots of our friends are bringing their kids, so we figured this might be more to their liking."

Aubrey was making sure the grill fixings were ready, too, things like buns and rolls, condiments, and veggies. "Beca!" She greeted her short friend with a friendly hug. "Glad you are here. Now we can explain your part."

Beca was in charge of the pizza oven. The ingredients were already prepped and separated into bowls. Each person would be able to make their own six-inch pizza and give it to Beca to put in the brick oven. She was responsible for keeping an eye on each pizza to ensure nobody's burned, pulling them out in time, and cutting them into four pieces before getting the flatbread to its rightful owner.

"You are going to be an incredible pizzaiolo Grasshopper." Chloe was all smiles as she complimented her girlfriend.

"Yeah? Exactly what is your job here Bug? The rest of us seem to be occupied." Beca looked at Chloe teasingly.

"Why I'm the drink runner baby. I'll make sure you guys aren't thirsty. What's your poison?" She did a good job of greeting the guests as well as keeping the amateur chef's drinks full. After a bit, Chloe actually rotated in with the others to give everyone a break.

Eventually most of the kids were full and busy playing in the pool or dancing to the blaring music. The four hostesses were freed from their cooking responsibilities to finally mingle with their guests. Once they made the rounds and greeted everyone, all four women went upstairs to change into their swimsuits and cover-ups.

When they came back down, Theo had arrived. "I know, I know, I'm late. But hey, you didn't tell me that your pool was going to be open. I didn't bring a suit."

Chloe hooked her arm into his and began to walk him to the pool house. "Luckily we have a solution for that. Head to the bedroom on the left. Men's suits should be in there."

* * *

The party lasted well into the night. The parents with small children were the first to start heading home. Many of the older kids were sacked out on the various lawn chairs scattered around the pool and hot tub. The heat and excitement had made for a long and tiring day. Chloe gave several small tours of the entire house, showing off the design and architectural features. She was rightfully proud of her hard work in make sure everything was perfect for Beca and herself in their forever home.

Eventually the only people left were Beca, Chloe, Aubrey and Stacie. The hired hands had taken responsibility for cleaning up the entire property. The leftover food had been packaged up and stored in the large refrigerator in the kitchen. Even the pool towels and borrowed suits were in the pool room washing machine.

The four friends were sitting in the living room, each partner enjoying the quiet with their fiancé. Beca pulled Chloe into her and kissed the top of her head. "You did good Bug. On the house AND the party."

Aubrey and Stacie were also both extremely complimentary of the redhead's efforts as well. They were particularly excited that she had thought enough of them to give them a permanent room in the house. "I noticed that it's allllll the way at the end, far, far away from your room." Stacie teased.

"You seem to forget I shared an apartment with you for years Stace. I know how loud you can get." Beca teased right back as Aubrey immediately blushed with her comments.

Ignoring both the brunettes, Chloe spoke to Aubrey. "Bree you two can make that room completely your own. I didn't do much decorating. Of course, you need to bring some clothes over, too." She was excited that she and Beca were able to provide a place for their friends to stay.

"Well for tonight, we brought a change of clothes in a suitcase." The blonde smiled at her friend. "That'll have to do."

"Long as you don't wander the hallways naked, it's all good." Beca wasn't going to stop teasing now that she had Aubrey embarrassed.

Stacie was the first to make a move. She stood and offered her hand to pull Aubrey up. "I don't mean to party then sleep, but I think it's time for Aubrey and me to head to bed. Love you two."

"Night!"

After their friends retreated up the staircase and were safely in their room, Beca pulled her fiancé into a loving embrace. "Oh Chloe. How can I ever thank you for everything? This house, the details, it's all overwhelming."

The redhead blushed as she tried to wave off the compliments, but inside she was pleased that Beca's initial reactions to the design was positive. She'd been terrified that a detail would go awry or be left out.

Beca reached around and gently grasped Chloe's chin to pull her head to face her. Closing her eyes, Beca pressed her lips against the redhead's – gentle at first before deepening the kiss, bringing things to a higher intensity. She stood, pulling Chloe with her as she placed both hands on either side of her fiancé's face. Slipping one arm behind the redhead's back, she pulled Chloe in tight as they got lost in the kiss. "Do I get to see upstairs now?" Beca murmured through the kiss.

About that time, the moment was abruptly broken as a pillow came flying from upstairs and hit Beca squarely in the back of the head. "Get a room you two!" Stacie scurried back into her room before her tiny friend could yell at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming Home: Keith Urban
> 
> The video montage was inspired by what he had playing on the screens during his Ellen performance. Of course, with creative changes made on my whims.


	8. Wedding

Aubrey and Chloe thought their big day would never arrive, but it finally did. Family and friends came in the day before, and a quasi-rehearsal dinner was arranged that night so that the families of the wives-to-be could get to know each other. As Beca got to see Chloe interact with her kinfolk, she was glad they had made the decision to include more than only parents and siblings. Seeing the redhead's happiness warmed her heart in a way nothing else could.

Aubrey and Chloe's college friends were also there a day early. Apparently, the women hadn't seen each other in a while, so the reunion was also heart-warming to watch. The connection between all them was honest and deep. Aubrey put them to work in making sure the outdoor decorations were perfect and filling the guest gift bags.

Once those festivities died down, and extended family were shuttled back to their hotels.

Aubrey and Chloe spent some extra time with their college girlfriends lounging around the pool and catching up. Aubrey glanced up at the house and saw the two brunettes watching through their window. Both Aubrey and Chloe were adamant that tradition be followed and the brides not be able to see each other the day of the wedding until they met at the altar. Despite Beca's protests, Aubrey stayed with Chloe in her bedroom while Beca stayed with Stacie in hers. So the brunettes were just teasing as they waved from their 'isolation room'. Aubrey nudged the redhead and motioned towards the window. They both waved at their fiancés and blew them copious amounts of air kisses.

* * *

The next morning, the carefully planned double wedding was getting started without a hitch. As their more illustrious guests arrived, there was not a single problem with the press or paparazzi. Having the Atlanta police department control the traffic flow and entrance to the complex allowed the more famous guests' personal security to concentrate on them. Knowing that the media vultures had access to drones and helicopters allowed the special ops team to practice using their own counter measures which worked out well for everyone involved. Stacie's guys loved playing with their advanced toys.

While each of the four friends were all brides, Beca and Stacie had decided to wear dresses that were not quite as extravagant as their fiancés who had gone all out. Of course, the brunettes were drop dead gorgeous in their own rights, but the friends insisted that Aubrey and Chloe be the show-stoppers of the day.

Mrs. Posen and Mrs. Beale were fretting over their daughters as they got dressed in Chloe and Beca's bedroom. Mrs. Beale went through the checklist one more time. "Something old." Aubrey showed her the heirloom engagement ring she proudly wore, and Mrs. Beale fastened an antique hair clip from Chloe's grandmother in her red hair. "Something new." Both bride's mothers had bought them matching gold anklets for the wedding.

"Something borrowed." Aubrey had her brother's Medal of Honor pinned inside her dress, and Chloe had a locket of Beca's tucked inside hers. The locket had a picture of Beca and her mom and was a high school graduation present to Beca from her mom. "Something blue." Chloe's handkerchief was blue to match her eyes while Aubrey had small blue cornflowers in her bouquet. When General Posen and Mr. Beale came into the room to send their wives down to be seated and to retrieve their daughters, the fathers were both speechless.

True to the plan to honor the two extremely important people missing from the ceremony, the third chair on Stacie and Aubrey's side of the wedding, the one next to Aubrey's mom was empty. Austin's dress blue uniform hat sat in the chair to represent his place at her wedding; inside the lining was tucked his now opened letter which Aubrey had finally been able to read with Stacie's support. On Beca and Chloe's side, next to Chloe's mom, there was also an empty chair on which a music box set that held the space for Beca's mom.

The ceremony had been perfectly timed for late afternoon. The area faced the breathtaking sunset, yet the audience was shaded by a sheer net which provided protection from the sun as well as from an errant drone that might have made it through Atlanta PD's protection. At the end of each seated aisle, lavender scented candles hung from curved metal stakes to provide a tinge of ambience.

Everyone was curious as to how the brides would walk out. Double weddings were difficult to plan. Add in the fact that there were four brides complicated things even further. When the priest came out, a hush spread across the crowd. As the wedding march music began, everyone stood, eyes searching.

From the left front of the podium, the audience could see Beca emerge from the side of the house being escorted by Theo. As she got a few steps out, Stacie and her father began walking from the other side of the house. As the two best friends met, they gave each other brief hugs. Both had the cheesiest grins on their faces, trying to hide how nervous they were.

The music stopped momentarily then picked up again in a new key. Chloe, Aubrey, and their fathers emerged simultaneously from the back of house, one of either side and walked towards each other. As they met in the middle, the center aisle was large enough to accommodate all four persons walking side by side. Both Beca and Stacie stood a little taller as they stared at the two beautiful women coming towards them.

Each father gave his daughter away to the awaiting women and went to their seats next to their wives. The ceremony itself could not have been better planned. Needless to say, the wedding was quite beautiful, and not a dry eye was found in the place once it was over.

* * *

After the photographs were taken, the brides and their families moved to the reception area where their guests were already enjoying cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. The four women walked around greeting their guests and accepting the many congratulations which would continue throughout the evening. Then Theo commandeered the microphone and announced that due to some unforeseen circumstances, they were going to alter the order and timing of some of the traditional events of the evening. While this caused come confusion, the brides and attendees followed his lead.

First was the father/daughter dance. The four brides moved to the dance floor, each with their father except for Beca who danced with Theo. "This feels so incestuous," Beca whispered in his ear. She was rewarded with a jab in the ribs. "Seriously dude, thanks for being my stand in for all of this. Chloe has been so panicky that I felt left out of some of the customs. God, I still can't believe she actually married me."

Aubrey had her head on her daddy's shoulder, eyes closed, as they talked about how proud he was of her. Someone approached General Posen and tapped him on the shoulder. Aubrey's eyes flew open when she heard a deep voice say, "May I cut in, sir?"

General Posen smiled and handed his daughter to the soldier standing there in his smart dress blue uniform. The man held out his hands waiting for Aubrey to step into position, but she could only stand there in shock. "Matthew? Oh my god! Matty!" She flung her arms around him and immediately began to cry. The other brides knew Matthew was coming and were expecting something of a reaction. They tried to just keep dancing as normal to give their friend a chance to reunite with her friend. "What are you doing here? Daddy said you couldn't take leave."

"Your daddy doesn't always tell the truth. Sorry I didn't get here in time for the ceremony. Blame it on Fort McPherson. Anyway, are we going to dance, or what? I came all the way from Syria, so may I at least get a dance out of you?" As Aubrey settled into his arms, the entire room – including the other brides and their fathers gave the soldier a standing ovation.

As the dance finished, Aubrey was all smiles as she dragged Matthew over to the brides' table. Since everyone but Aubrey knew he was coming, a place had already been set while they were on the dance floor. She excitedly introduced him to the women. "This is Matthew; he was my twin brother's best friend growing up. I guess that made him my friend, too, by default."

A confused Beca looked at Chloe and mouthed, "twin brother?"

"Not now," Chloe mouthed back.

* * *

Theo had been pretty-tight lipped about the music for the night. All Chloe could guess was that various artists in attendance would be singing songs Beca's wrote or helped produce as wedding gifts. Imagine Chloe's surprise when her new wife got up and moved to the mic on stage.

"Hey folks. Thanks everyone for coming out today. I trust you enjoyed your dinner?" She waited for a response from the crowd. "Your presence means the world to each of us. Now I told my now lovely wife that I would not be 'working on my wedding day'. But honey," Beca raised her eyebrows, "I fibbed. This song goes out to Chloe from me." She then turned to look at her best friend. "And to Stacie from Aubrey." Both Stacie and Chloe gasped as Beca began to sing.

_I spent my weeks running wild/And now my days they have changed/I never thought I'd be/The girl that walked away/I found my one true love/In me you found it too/A path that ran to me and didn't make it hard to choose._

_'Cause you found me hiding/With my heart hanging on the wall/You took a chance on me and/Didn't think that I would fall/You gave me hope and you let me know that oh/If I give it time it will all be mine and oh/You gave me something that I didn't have before/So I'mma give you something/To stop you saying more/You gave me something/I didn't have before/And I'mma give you something/To stop you saying more_

A curly-haired woman with long amber hair leapt up on stage and joined in on the chorus with Beca, and soon Beca got off stage to go back to sit with her wife while the auburn headed woman kept singing. As the final notes of the song faded out, she introduced herself to the crowd in a British voice. "I'm Jess Glynne everybody. That song is my newest single,  _Gave Me Something_ , which will drop tomorrow thanks to my wonderful song writer and producer Beca Mitchell. Let's hear it for all four newlyweds." She began clapping as she encouraged the audience to do the same.

Next up was an incredibly nervous young girl, Emily. "Hi everyone. Ummm my name is Emily. I went to Barden University and was a part of the Barden Bellas acapella singing group with Chloe and Aubrey." Several other girls got on stage with Emily. "This is uhhh, Flo, Jessica, Ashely, CR, and Lilly. I've only performed acapella in college, and I've certainly never recorded a song like many of you guys. Thanks to Theo for letting us get up here. Anyway, I wrote this song, and we wanted to dedicate it to Chloe and Aubrey, our Bella sisters."

CR brought her mic to her mouth and spoke before the song started. "If you'll look in your wedding gift bag, you'll find something to help as we sing this song." Chloe looked at Aubrey with a confused look on her face as their Bella sisters launched into a beautiful acapella song

_And though the road is long. /I look up to the sky/And in the dark I found, /I lost hope that I won't fly/And I sing along, I sing along/And I sing along_  
_I got all I need when I got you and I/I look around me, and see a sweet life  
_ _I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight/You're getting me, getting me through the night_

By this time, the guests had caught on and retrieved the small flashlights from their bags, turned them on, and were gently waving them around as the Barden Bellas sang.

_Kick start my heart when you shine it in my eyes/Can't lie, it's a sweet life  
_ _I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight/You're getting me, getting me through the night_

As the acapella team finished their tribute, Beca glanced over to her business partner who was staring at the young singer during the song. She caught his eye and mouthed, "Don't do it. No business at my wedding."

Theo laughed as he mouthed back. "But she's so good." Beca just rolled her eyes.

* * *

Several other artists sang before Theo wrapped up most of the music portion. "We do have one more performance. I invite you all inside Beca and Chloe's exquisite home. It might be a tight squeeze, but you will be able to see and hear the performance from outside as well."

Both Beca and Chloe had snuck inside early to get ready. The tiny brunette was sitting at her brand-new piano, nervously getting settled. When everyone seemed to be settled, she made sure Selena was up front before she began to play a beautiful song, an original as requested by the young pop star. Beca's fingers danced over the keys as her eyes were closed and head down in concentration. The audience was spellbound by the sound Beca was coaxing from her new Steinway.

Then unexpectedly, a figure began to descend from the stairs. Chloe came walking down slowly, playing a violin – the notes mixing perfectly with the piano. Aubrey slapped her hand over her mouth in shock as many of the observers gasped. Soon the redhead was standing behind the piano playing her amazing music, smiling at her wife who was looking at her with eyes reserved only for each other. Both women continued playing their instruments, the sounds from strings and keys blending in perfect harmony. Then Beca closed out with another solo section at the end.

As the notes faded away, the room was quiet. Nobody dared break the trance of the performance. Suddenly Selena burst forward and grabbed Beca off the piano bench, tears streaming down her face. "I loved it Beca, Chloe. Both of you were amazing." After she released Beca from her death grip, she raced around the piano to give Chloe a hug as well.

* * *

After a long night of singing and dancing, all the guests had been ushered home or to their hotels, and the parents had retired upstairs to go to bed. The only people left outside were the two pair of newlyweds who had changed out of their fancy dresses, the Barden girls, Fred – Chloe's brother, Matty, and Theo. They were all lounged out around the pool, relaxing with their feet stuck in the water or chilling in the hot tub.

"Your wedding was aca-awesome!" Emily was the youngest of the former Bellas and was thoroughly impressed with the singers she had met and how laid back they all seemed.

Despite Beca's glare, Theo announced. "You gals have some pipes on you, especially you Emily."

The younger girl blushed. "Everyone contributes to our songs." She motioned to the other Bellas. "We just like to have fun. You should be a fly on the wall during our road trips, all singing, all the time."

Chloe got a devilish look on her face and started singing.

_I hopped off the plane at LAX/With a dream and my cardigan/Welcome to the land of fame excess,_

Many of the other Bellas started singing with her while others began the oral musical instruments.

_Whoa, am I gonna fit in?/Jumped in the car,/Here I am for the first time/Look to my right and I see the Hollywood sign/This is all so crazy_

Beca began to laugh when even Stacie joined in.

_Everybody seems so famous/My tummy's turnin' and I'm feelin' kinda home sick/Too much pressure and I'm nervous,_

The tiny songwriter rolled her eyes at the girls' antics. Chloe and even Aubrey looked expectantly for Beca to join in.

_That's when the taxi man turned on the radio/And the Jay Z song was on/And the Jay Z song was on_

Beca was  _not_  going to sing Miley Cyrus. Nope. No way! Then Stacie got right into her face and sang:

_And the Jay Z song was on_

Then everyone stopped as they all waited expectantly for Beca to sing. The silence was uncomfortable at best… until she gave in.

_So I put my hands up/They're playing my song,/And the butterflies fly away/Noddin' my head like, yeah_

By now, everyone was singing and up on their feet dancing around the pool area. Even Fred and Matty were bopping their feet in the water, splashing the girls.

_Movin' my hips like, yeah/I got my hands up/They're playin' my song/You know I'm gonna be okay/Yeah, it's a party in the USA/Yeah it's a party in the USA_

Once the song was finished, everyone started clapping. Even Theo was impressed. "How do you gals do that? I've never heard the likes of that."

CR said, "Boy, you ain't seen nothing yet." She huddled together with the former Bellas then most of the girls started background music while Chloe and CR started off singing.

_I don't like it, I love it, love it, love it, uh oh/ So good it hurts/I don't want it, I gotta, gotta have it, uh oh/When I can find the word I just go/I don't like it, no, I love it/I don't like it, no, I love it_

While the others worked background, CR started her rap.

_All out, turn the beat up/Hey now I'm glad to meet ya/Turn up girl, blow the speaker/Yeah up, think about it now, blow the speaker/I'll speak louder, let's get wild tonite_

They all enjoyed pointing to each other for their friends to take over the main lyrics. CR rapping wasn't unexpected with CR's attitude, but Beca and Stacie were floored when CR gave the floor to Aubrey for the next rap verse.

_'Cause I'ma hit it til I jackpot, that's right/Wax on baby wax off, act right/You can put it on the black card, all night/And I'll spend it, I'll spend it 'cause/I don't like it, I love it, love it, love it, uh oh_

Getting into the groove of the song after a bit, Beca nudges Chloe and joins in with her.

_All night, let me group ya/Dance with me, turn down for who girl/Another runner help us step the moves up/Yeah bet that round/Need a measure or ruler_

Knowing the order of the group, Flo was next.

_Celebrate life and I'll pay for it/That Cavalli nice next to my Tom Ford/Yeah party all night, let's all aboard/Let's all aboard, all aboard_

The song seemed to go on for days. CR got a resounding set of screams when she set off another rap verse.

_Competition, that's a whole nother subject/I wanna walk it out in public/You a star baby, just know, let's go/To the mansion or the condo, let's go/Perfect time gotta let it flow, you know/I'm watching, I'm watching, …_

Once the song was finally finished, Beca looked at Lilly and Ashley. "Why don't you girls ever sing?"

They both looked at her strangely. Ashley finally spoke. "We do, and so does Jessica. But who do you think puts down the beats for all this?" A light went on in Beca's head as she then nodded her head knowingly.

Aubrey was now sitting on her wife's lap. Stacie patted her on the leg. "Speaking of beats, when did my wife learn to rap?"

Jessica perked up. "That's nothing Stacie. Aubrey even has her own rap song that she wrote."

Despite Aubrey's face turning beet red in embarrassment, nobody there was going to let her off from telling the story. "Ugh, okay, background information. In college, my emcee name was Vodka Cran because it's my favorite drink," she said. "And after I've had a couple of vodka crans, my rapping gets even better."

Beca poured out a round of tequila shots with a vodka cranberry chaser for the blonde and they waited for her to sing. Ashley lay down the beats. Chloe leaned over to her best friend. "I'll help you out."

_I like the way your cheeks feel/Sneezing in the meat store/Gonna steal the beef though_  
_and sneak it out the back door/And throw it in my Daddy's truck._  
_What?!/Cause my girl's throwing a potluck. OKAY!_  
_I got tripe in the window and lamb on a hook/And I strap the string and it's giving me a look_  
_I said, "Don't look at me that way, son!/If you could run, this had never begun_  
_You'd still be on the farm straight working your charms./For the Chicks to the cooks and run. OKAY!_  
_I know you're gonna like my jams. Gonna rub it all over your hams._  
_And when your fingers get sticky, just licky off the icky  
_ _It's the voice to the va-va-va-va-va-va-va-Vodka/Voice to the va-va-va-va-va-va-va-Vodka Cran_

By the time Aubrey and Chloe finished singing what could only be called their college anthem, everyone was literally rolling laughing.

Stacie pulled her wife in close and kissed her hard. "Okay hon, good skills, BUT that song made absolutely no sense at all."

The blonde grinned and downed the next shot put down for her. "What can I say – drunk college days."

* * *

While he seemed to be enjoying watching the group of college friends interact, Theo was eyeing both Emily and CR, contemplating what to do. He knew that Beca had given him strict orders for no business to be conducted on her wedding day, but he couldn't help to pull them aside as the party seemed to be breaking up.

"Emily and CR, right?" They eached nodded. "Do you know who I am?"

CR responded. "Yup, you are Theo, Beca's business partner."

"She pretty much threatened me with my life to not do any business today. I'm not. I'm just giving each of you one of my cards. Beca leaves tomorrow on her honeymoon. If you have time, I'd love for you to get in touch with me before you leave town." With that, he nonchalantly walked off leaving both of the women in total shock.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gave Me Something: Jess Glynne  
> Flashlight: Jessie J aka Sweet Life Mix: Emily Junk
> 
> The inspiration for Beca and Chloe's instrument duet came from a 2015 Buzz article called "15 Instrumental Covers of Pop Songs That Are Better Than The Original". Hotline Bling by Drake, covered by Veronica. Anyway the song is well worth your time to listen on YouTube!
> 
> Party in the USA: Miley Cyrus  
> I Don't Like It, I Love It: Flo Rida  
> Vodka Cran: Anna Camp


	9. Tahiti Bound

Despite a full wedding day and a splendid late night with their friends, the newlyweds were up early the next morning to finish getting ready to leave for their honeymoon later that day. As the various houseguests dragged themselves to the main area of the house, they discovered that the Bellas had gotten up earlier than anyone and had were cooking breakfast to order, well if the breakfast was bacon, eggs, pancakes, or waffles, because honestly – who can cook cereal or fruit?

The wedding photographer had worked quickly and had set up a website of proofs from the wedding and reception the day before. While the women would be waiting until after their honeymoon to select the pictures they wanted printed for permanent keepsakes and gifts to their family, Beca's agent had suggested that a handful of pictures be released via social media since the fans knew about the wedding and were clamoring for details.

With input from everyone, a handful of proofs were selected. Chloe wrote captions for them and sent the information for the trusted photographer to post to social media on Beca's behalf. The hopes would be that this would keep the fans and paparazzi at bay while they made their way to the airport that afternoon and through their connecting flight.

After the last-minute packing was completed and tearful goodbyes bade to their family and friends, the four newlyweds were headed to the Atlanta airport early the next afternoon for their honeymoon. Chloe was so ecstatic that she was literally bouncing in her seat in the back of the limo. "I can't believe we are going to the French Polynesia!" She looped her arm through Beca's and pulled her wife's body close while she kicked the air in front of her.

"How can you not believe it? We've been planning this trip since we set the wedding date Chlo." Beca was laughing at the overjoyed redhead.

Aubrey was sitting with a leg tucked beneath her, leaned against Stacie, as the taller couple faced Chloe and Beca in the back of the stretch car. "We can still be excited Beca. I mean, what's not to love about this. We are going on an amazing trip that just  _happens_  to be our honeymoon. And we are with our best friends."

Stacie reached over and gently turned her wife's chin towards her and gave her a warm kiss. "We are going to have a blast for sure."

* * *

Because their originating flight was in Atlanta, connections in Los Angeles were somewhat easier than had they decided to fly direct from LAX. They had been fortunate to have missed the paps at the Atlanta airport and LAX. Nothing had leaked yet about their immediate honeymoon, so nobody was really looking for them. Upon landing in California, the four newlyweds made their way to the first-class lounge area of the international terminal. The flight was not leaving until later that evening, so they had a few hours before needing to board.

The lounge area had an open view of the terminal below including the check-in area for Air Tahiti Nui. The check-in line was snaked around the poles, and people were sitting on their luggage and the floor as there seemed to be little to no progress for the people trying to check their luggage. After watching the stagnant line for a while, Stacie's curiosity got the best of her and she went to the lounge desk agent to find out what was going on since their flight to Tahiti was probably the only one that night with that airline.

When the tall police officer returned, she was laughing as she explained what was going on downstairs. "Ladies, it seems as though our flight is delayed due to an airline 'strike'." She used her fingers to make air quotes as she said the word strike. "The desk agent said this happens a lot with that particular crew. The pilots go drinking and get into a fist fight at the bar. Then they go on 'strike' while they nurse their hang-overs. She said to not worry since it happens so often, the airline always has a contingency plan."

A few drinks later, Aubrey pointed downstairs as a long line of uniformed men and women were making their way past the check in counters. "I bet that's our substitute crew; at least I hope so." Sure enough, shortly after, an agent came to get the foursome to escort them to the first-class boarding area.

Since Beca had started in the music business, the women had plenty of opportunities to fly first-class, but Chloe had never been on a long-haul international trip. She was in awe of the amenities on the upper deck of the huge airplane. Since Aubrey and Stacie had the seats directly behind her and Beca, she turned around on her knees and was waving at the blonde like a young child. "Bree, isn't this amazing? I mean, look at all this." She waved her arms around, pointing out everything the steward had just told them. She laid her seat down vertical, sat it up, then wandered up to the snack area and helped herself to some things to eat. Beca just laughed as she wondered what type of child she had married.

* * *

Despite the late take-off, the replacement pilots took a different route and landed in Tahiti pretty much right on time. Once the large jet landed at the small island airport, the passengers were funneled into two basic areas within customs – those who were staying on the large island and those who were immediately going to other islands. Immigration and customs was a perfunctory rubber stamp, and then the women went to the directed area to wait for their ferry to their first island.

Chloe dragged Aubrey to the wooden railing behind the various booths of the different travel agency companies who organized traveler details. She excitedly pointed at an island not thirty miles away. "Look Bree. That's Moorea, our first island. It's so close! I can't wait for the ferry." She was bouncing up and down with excitement.

Aubrey turned around as she heard a whistle and saw Stacie motioning for them to come over to the booth. Three quite jolly Polynesian women placed fragrant, beautiful leis around their necks. One explained that the currents were too rough for the ferries to run between the islands. Chloe's smile immediately dropped from her face. "Then how are we getting to Moorea?"

The Polynesian agents all pointed outside to a large open deck where several larger sea planes were moored. "By plane. It's only a five-minute flight, but sometimes it takes longer as the pilot has to circle the island waiting for the runway to open up." Arrangements were made, and the women were assigned a flight and sent to the deck area to wait for their turn on a plane.

Once they got on the small plane, it did indeed circle the tiny island twice before the single runway was open. Chloe and Aubrey had both taken window seats and were ogling the sky-blue water through which they could see all the way to the bottom of the ocean floor. Both women were chattering away about the beauty of the small island below them. Once the plane taxied to the small gate and the luggage was unloaded, the foursome quickly found their driver who held a sign with their names.

The Polynesian driver with a wide smile was quite personable as he rattled on telling the women small facts about their island, their culture, and the Moorea Painapo Festival that was going to be occurring during their stay. "Pineapple belongs to Moorea; Moorea belongs to pineapple. This festival is a celebration about the fruit."

When the man pulled over on the side of the small highway, onto a small turnout, the four women were concerned. He saw their reaction in his rearview mirror and gave a loud laugh. "Trust me ladies. But everyone please get out on the cliff side of the car." Of course, Beca and Stacie immediately scrambled out of the car with no hesitation. Stacie's gasp caused Chloe and Aubrey to quickly follow.

"Amazing!" Aubrey's single word was the only utterance as the newlyweds stood on the side of the turn-out admiring the beautiful view. The driver had stopped right after exiting the harbor area but before entering the resort areas. The view out past the breaker rocks was completely unobstructed. Foliage was thick down the cliff and ended at the rocks on the beach shore.

* * *

Upon arrival, Beca and Stacie went to check-in while their wives ordered fruity drinks for all four of them. Soon the brunettes came back. "Our huts aren't quite ready, so they suggested we change clothes and walk around the property."

Aubrey looked over at Stacie. "That's a strange request." Despite thinking it odd, the women all changed into bathing suits with cover-ups and flip flops.

"Oh, wait! I got us all something." Chloe went racing back to the luggage storage area and came back with four floppy sun hats. "Look, they match!" She chirped. Once everyone was suitably dressed, they left the lodge and began walking. The main pool right outside the lobby had a beautiful negative edge which faded right into the ocean. "I bet that looks stupendous at sunset." Chloe was in awe of everything she saw.

The women kept walking to the edge of the beach until their feet splashed around in the warm water. They stood for a while appreciating the crystal-clear water lapping their toes. Next, they turned to walk up the beach towards some small inlets where they had earlier seen a few huts. The friends were walking the shallow water when there was a sudden movement almost beneath Chloe's feet. She shrieked and jumped back.

"What was that?" Chloe clung to Beca's arm like a shark was going to rip off her leg. The women searched the shallow sandy water and could see nothing. Figuring the movement had just been the water lapping at the shore, they continued.

Two steps later, another flash flitted across the shallow inlet. This time Aubrey was the most caught off guard. "What the fuck guys?" Stacie dug her camera out and made sure the power was on. The women each glued their eyes to the sandy cove bottom and slowly took a single step at a time. Stacie had the camera, so she went first.

Beca saw it next. "There!" She shouted and pointed to some sand.

"Where?" Everyone was shuffling their feet in the beach silt trying to see. "Guys, be still. Give me the camera Legs. But. Be. Still." Beca reached over the Stacie and got the camera. She zoomed in and fired off a couple of shots. "Okay, now I'm going to take a few steps, but I want you to look about three feet in front of my right foot. Just watch."

Beca took a few steps, then all the women started laughing as they saw the flat fish swim off and settle back into the sand well disguised from prying eyes. "Fred." Chloe announced. "I shall call him Fred. FFF. Fred the Flat Flounder!" The women later found out that the feathery fish was called a peacock flounder, and they were lucky to have gotten an incredible picture of one blending right into the cove floor.

The women continued their walk, looking at the colorful fish, including Mr. Parrot Fish. Chloe gave most of them names and decided some of them needed more formal names. As they climbed up an embankment, they walked over a bridge and leaned over to look at the water past the rocks. "It's a sea urchin convention." Chloe piped up. She was being incredibly silly but obviously having a great time.

While they were admiring the fifty or so sea urchin scattered below them against the embankment, a golf cart pulled in beside them. "Ahhhh, the Conrad and Mitchell parties. I trust you are finding our resort pleasant?" The couples politely nodded at the two strangers who knew their names, oddly enough. "Your huts are ready; we've come to take you to your new home away from home." The driver smiled warmly.

"Uhhh how did you know who we were… or where we were?" Beca's voice was cautious.

The golf cart driver smiled mysteriously. "Because it's our job."

* * *

The golf cart dropped Stacie and Aubrey with one of the concierge members first, then took Beca and Chloe to their own hut about fifty yards down the beach. Far enough away for privacy yet close enough so they could enjoy each other's company when they wanted. The back of the huts opened to a private beach and lagoon similar to the ones they had earlier been walking along. These particular huts were more isolated, so it was doubtful that many guests would be discovering flounders when the newlyweds were spending their alone time together.

She unlocked the door and gave each woman a key before giving them a tour. "Your luggage has already arrived." She motioned to the suitcases in the bedroom area. "There are drinks, water, and fruit in the refrigerator." She laid a business card on the desk. "The number will ring my direct line should have any need whatsoever during your stay. Enjoy – and happy honeymoon." With that, the woman spun on her heel and left the hut.

Chloe looked at her new wife and began giggling. "That was interesting, to say the least. I know you get a lot of people kissing up to you in the states, but this is a whole new class of service." She wrapped her arms around Beca's neck and kissed her cheek.

"The great part about this though, is that it's hospitality at its purest. That woman didn't know who the fuck I am. She treated us like she did because she's well trained in her job – customer service." Beca stole a quick kiss and muttered. "I still want to know how they found us."

* * *

Since Beca and Chloe, well Beca anyway, had insisted on paying for the entire honeymoon, she made a concession to let Stacie and Aubrey schedule all the activities the couples would do together. The next island would be Bora Bora which did not have as many things to do, so the decision was made that would be the more relaxing portion of their trip.

For the first day, Stacie chartered a 4X4 and a private driver/tour guide to take them around Moore's volcanic peaks and lush hillsides. They also visited the Belvedere Lookout along with Opunohu and Cooks Bays. Aubrey's favorite part was the pineapple plantation and juice factory where they learned about one of the staple crops of the island. That evening was the Painapo Festival their airport driver had told them about. The people were mostly locals with a smattering of tourists. The newlyweds were treated to fresh fruit tastings of all types of local fruit, pineapple wine, and traditional dishes cooked in underground ovens. True local culture.

Beca and Stacie spent the next day deep sea fishing while Chloe and Aubrey went snorkeling in much calmer waters. As the two college friends arrived back at the resort, they noticed another area which they hadn't seen before. Knowing there was plenty of time before their wives returned, they decided to check it out. Much to Chloe's delight it was a dolphin rehabilitation and research area. She always had a fascination with the sea creatures and to be able to see them this up close was amazing.

Looking beyond the smaller enclosure, Aubrey spied additional buoys with nets stretched out. After inquiring, the worker explained that this was a true rehabilitation center. The dolphins in the larger enclosure were being readied to be released back into the lagoon. Chloe could not help herself but to clap in delight at all she was learning.

The worker took them into the small building and opened some older, dilapidated freezers. He transferred some frozen fish to the refrigeration unit to thaw for tomorrow then took out the current day's defrosted meals of the cold unit. "This is a mix of herring and mackerel." He held out a bucket for each woman. "Would you like to help feed?" Both women were delighted and went out to toss fish to the marine mammals who were fortunate enough to find shelter with their injuries.

After the three had finished feeding, scrubbed down the wooden planks, and tidied up, the worker offered them both a local beer. "Sit with me a while if you have time. I can't say I've ever had tourists work as hard as you. Normally it's just someone who wants to jump in and swim with the dolphins or kids who throw rocks at them. Thanks."

Being the more open of the two, Chloe explained that she and her friend were in Moorea on their honeymoon. "But our wives ditched us today to go fishing."

He laughed. "Don't knock the fishing. If you haven't noticed, we are completely isolated out here. Fish and pineapple are staples of island living."

Aubrey could tell how intensely Chloe had been involved in the care of the dolphins. "So Ty, how is this place funded?" Of course, leave it to Aubrey to ask the hard questions.

The young man ran his hands through his hair. "Well we are a small satellite center of a Tahitian university which conducts research on the dolphins. It's a matter of crossing our fingers every two years for the funding to come through. As you can tell, we have shit for equipment. Our freezers are about on their last legs, and well, just about everything needs an overhaul. But we make do. It's all about the animals."

Aubrey and Chloe looked at each other knowingly. They both knew that Beca was a sucker for causes that interested Chloe. Pretty soon, this facility would probably have just about everything they need to make sure they keep saving marine mammals.

* * *

Stacie and Beca had left well before dawn for the fishing trip and returned just in time for a late lunch. While eating, Chloe was all enthusiastic as she told Beca and Stacie about the dolphins. The more she talked, the more animated she got. Pretty soon, it was clear to Beca where this conversation was going. She promised her wife that she'd visit the center before they left.

As the four were waiting on their main course, Chloe spied a little girl standing by the corner of the dining room by the door leading into the kitchen. She looked maybe ten or eleven years old, at most. While the women were used to Beca being stared at in the States, it was a bit unnerving on this small Polynesian Island as Beca had been virtually ignored. When Chloe saw the child holding a rolled-up magazine and a sharpie, she motioned the girl over.

"Hi honey. My name is Chloe. What's your name?"

"Natia." While she was shy, she never took her eyes off Beca. She unrolled the magazine to reveal an old copy of People magazine from a while back after Beca had won her first two Grammys and was being featured by all major media outlets. While she had yet to give an official interview, the media didn't stop writing about her. She opened the well-worn and dog-eared magazine to the pages of Beca's picture and article. "Is this you?" She tapped the picture.

While Beca loved all her fans, the youngest ones really melted her heart the most. "How did you know that was me Natia? You must be pretty sharp." Her heart was bursting with the cuteness she saw in the small girl's face as her eyes lit up as the confirmed who Beca was.

The tiny girl blushed as she held out the magazine and pen. "May I get your autograph Ms. Mitchell?"

Beca motioned for Chloe to pull out her phone. "Only if I can get a selfie!" This caused a broad smile to spread across Natia's face.

A rotund woman came scurrying from the kitchen and began scolding the young girl in her native language. She then turned to the table and began to apologize. "I apologize on behalf of my daughter. She knows to not disturb any of our guests." No sooner did that sentence escape her mouth did she realize that she was speaking to the resort's VERY important guests of the week. She gasped and clapped her hand over her mouth as a worried look settled on her face.

"Hi. I'm Beca." She introduced everyone else around the table. "What's your name?" The woman quietly told her, afraid of what trouble she might be in by allowing her daughter to be at work with her. "Well Elei, your daughter was not intrusive at all. Would you mind if my wife posts our selfie on my Instagram?" The relief on Elei's face was evident when she realized the star was not upset by being approached. "And since she seems to be a huge fan, I'd like to have some things sent from the states, if that's okay with you. She needs something more than a two-year-old magazine article."

By this point, Natia had pulled up a chair between Aubrey and Stacie and was animatedly telling them about the luau type celebration being held at a tribal location near the resort. "And I get to dance tonight." She hopped down and showed them some carefully practiced moves. "Please say you'll come. Please?"

"Now Natia, these nice ladies are on vacation. They probably already have plans for tonight." Her mother was still a bit nervous about her daughter. The four women looked at each other and shrugged.

Aubrey bent her waist to get closer to Natia's level. "I think that sounds like a great idea. We can't wait to see you dance."

Elei explained the full celebration included a traditional beach dinner. "The experience is quite impressive for our island visitors. The evening will be long but well worth your time." She then took her daughter by the hand. "Come along Natia. Let the women eat their lunch."

* * *

Despite Beca insisting they could ride the tour bus to the village, the resort hired a private car to courier them to the Tiki Village for the night's festivities. While the crowd was light, it steadily grew into quite a throng of people. To the women's delight, a few male dancers came out and was teaching how to open coconuts to extract the sweet juice. The men flirted heavily with the four newlyweds but only in a fun, joking manner. Then several tourists were lined up and taught some deviously difficult dance moves from the night's production.

The newlyweds learned about the Tahitian earth ovens which were holes in the ground, filled with heated lava rocks and lined with banana leaves. Many of the meals served on the island were cooked in this type of traditional oven, some taking up to eight hours to fully cook.

There was a great deal of shopping to be had at this village. Chloe and Aubrey had already decided they would return the next day in order to be able to take their time browsing. Beca saw a large man standing proudly by a sign touting Polynesian-style tattoos. She knew she'd be coming back as well for a permanent reminder of her honeymoon.

The women all filled their plates from the plentiful buffet and found seats where they could see the local band and various dancers. "This has to be the best excursion yet ladies." Stacie grinned at her wife. "Thanks for lining this up."

"This was all Natia. I can't wait to see her dance!"

As they watched everything happening around them, they were amazed at all the history and culture they were learning. "Who knew there were over two thousand ways you can tie a sarong." Beca laughed at her own joke as they watched the local women moving through the crowd selling their hand-painted coverings. As if the beauty wasn't enough to close the deal, showing all the different ways the traditional covering could be worn definitely made the sale.

When the crowd was directed into the arena for the great show, Stacie lead them to a place where they would have a great view of the entire production. There were over fifty dancers and musicians that wove a traditional mythical story of two tribes uniting. All were clothed in traditional Polynesian costumes, and the men sported traditional face and body paint. Surprisingly enough, Natia was not just a dancer with the larger group. She had a short solo dance where she demonstrated some quite complex moves. As she finished and moved back to her position in the group, she saw her new friends from the resort and shyly waved.

Towards the end, Stacie decided to try to get some GoPro footage. She stood off to the side so as to not block anyone's view. She was quickly surprised when a dancer approached her and escorted her onto the stage for taping in the midst of all of the dancers who altered their pattern to dance around her. She tried to keep up as the people who had earlier been taught dance steps were also brought on stage to join the troupe.

As the production wound down, people began to mill about, many posing for pictures with the performers and others going back to the shops for souvenirs. Natia came running up in her grass skirt and paint. "Did you see me dance Ms. Mitchell? Did you?"

Beca made her eyes go exaggeratedly wide. "You were amazing Natia. An absolute star." She bent down and let the little girl hug her around the neck. "We were all impressed. I'm so glad you invited us." The young girl insisted on having pictures taken with the newlyweds before she ran off to find her mother in the crowd.

* * *

The next morning, Beca stopped by the concierge to make an appointment at the tattoo place. His eyes grew wide in concern, and he excused himself, promising he'd be right back. When he returned, he had Elei in tow and nervously stepped back.

"Beca! Thank you so much for going last night. Natia can't stop talking about you. What can I do for you?" The tiny songwriter explained that she saw the tattoo place at the village and wanted to make an appointment. "Ahhh I see why I'm here. James is one of the last Tahitian tattoo artists still practicing the traditional art of tatau. His schedule is typically booked for months in advance."

Beca's face fell when she heard the news. Natia's mom laughed. "But I think you may be in luck. James also happens to be my brother which makes him Natia's uncle. Today is his day off, so I bet he'll fit you in – especially if I have Natia call!"

Sure enough, James had no problem to make an exception for his niece's hero. Elei rattled off some more things to her brother in their native language before hanging up. "He said he can be ready for you by three. He needs time to make your equipment, design the tattoo, and get his assistant to the studio."

"Design?"

"Yes, traditional Tahitian tattoos often tell a story. I shared your musical background with him, and he'll come up with a design which is truly unique to who you are. Nobody in the world will ever have your artwork." Beca expressed her gratitude to Elei and then ran off back to the huts to share the news with Chloe.

* * *

The foursome returned to the Tiki Village and ate some more of the delightful food. Then Chloe and Aubrey excused themselves to hit the stores. Stacie decided to hang out with Beca to keep her company. The shorter brunette would never admit that she was nervous about getting a tattoo in the tribal way.

As James prepared his tools, he explained the process. "The amount of labor involved is pretty intense. First, I have to make the traditional tools. I usually use wild boar tusk. Creating the tools is time consuming, and the tools I make for you, are only for you."

"Does that mean I can take them home when you are done?" Beca was trying to be funny to hide her nerves.

James chuckled. "I believe you are the first who has ever asked me that question. I think that if we sterilize the bone once we are finished and clean the other pieces well, there should not be an issue. Getting them through U.S. customs, however, is a different story." As he affixed the bone to the handle, he introduced his assistant. "This is Tamar. He will be holding your skin flat while I tattoo." While he was working, the conversation was limited. The method was to place the black ink filled bone on the stretched-out skin then to strike that stick with another, forcing the edges into her skin.

Once James was done, he explained the symbolism in the art – how it connected to music and to Beca. As he was cleaning up, Beca sat for a while, admiring her new art and had Stacie snap some photos before the assistant covered it. "Hey, do you mind if these pictures go on my Instagram? I'll give you and your shop credit."

"Please do! And send me a picture once it heals completely. I'd love to use you as a reference on my website. That is, if I may."

Beca quickly agreed. "I'll send you the pics and a blurb as soon as it's healed. Thank you so much for making time for me today. I'm pumped I got this." She thanked the artist a copious amount of times and made sure that both men were well-tipped before leaving.

Stacie and Beca wandered around the village a while before they found their wives whose arms were full of packages and bags. They relieved their spouses of some of their burden and made their way over to a place that served fruity pineapple drinks. "I want to see your new ink baby!" Beca refused to take off the covering, but Stacie showed them all the pictures she had taken – of the preparation, the process, and the final work.

"Is this going to run the rest of our trip? You know, the beach and all?" Chloe stuck out her lower lip in an incredibly good pout.

"No Bug." Beca chuckled. "I can't get into a pool, but he said the lagoon would be just fine."

* * *

"Tonight's our last night in Moorea Chlo." Beca scooted her beach chair closer to her wife and reached out to grab her hand. She sounded a bit sad about leaving the paradise they had found. The sun had set long ago, and they were enjoying the quietness of their private cove.

"Yes, but tomorrow we are going to Bora Bora." Chloe was excited about that island since their huts would be over the water. She had read about being able to feed the fish right from their room as they looked through the floor. "And we will be able to swim right from our hut or go to the beach. I think they even have little canoes and things you can rent."

"Do we know what time we are meeting Bree and Stace in the morning?" Beca was nervous about the timing on everything since they really hadn't talked about any of that type of stuff and normally Aubrey was so anal about the schedule.

Chloe got up out of her beach chair and pulled her wife to her feet. "If it makes you feel better, let's go find out. I'm sure Bree has everything planned to the minute." They shook the sand off their feet as best they could, slipped on their sandals, and headed to their friend's beach hut.

"That's strange." As they got closer, Beca could see that all of the lights were out. "Surely those lame asses didn't go to sleep already." When Chloe began to stifle a laugh, Beca saw the shimmering of a single candle in the window. Apparently, Stacie hadn't taken into consideration visitors since her naked body was outlined perfectly against the dark room. Apparently, she was on her knees rocking back and forth, presumably with Aubrey beneath her.

The pair outside could clearly hear loud moans coming from both women, yet they were too shocked to move. Suddenly Beca grabbed Chloe's hand as they raced back to their own cabin laughing. "Oh god. I will NEVER be able to unhear that."

"I think my eyes are still burning babe." The two made a pact to not say anything to their friends. This was, after all, their honeymoon.


	10. Back to Reality

The rest of the honeymoon in Bora Bora was as fabulous as the first part in Moorea. The overwater huts were indeed amazing. The coffee tables in the living room had glass tops which slid back. Chloe fed the fish so much extra bread that Beca teased her they were going to get pot-bellies. This island was definitely more laid back, and the women spent their time lounging in the water by their huts or on the beach.

One morning, Stacie arranged a surprise for both her wife and the other couple. Before they separated the evening before, Stacie decided to let Chloe in on the secret to keep her and Beca from freaking out. About half an hour before they normally left their huts to meet for breakfast, an outrigger canoe pulled up to each couple's hut and tied off. Two Polynesian workers dressed in all white were balancing a long tray of food between two canoes that were affixed together.

Beca heard what could only be described as a conch horn blowing outside the windows. Knowing she had a little time left to sleep, she immediately began grumbling. "Chlo – what's that noise?" She pulled the sheet up her bare body to cover from the breeze and draped her arm over her eyes to block the early sunlight.

"Babe, don't come out naked. But do get dressed please." Chloe's voice called out from the outdoor patio.

This, of course, caused the brunette to protest more. "I need my shut eye, every minute of it. We are on vacation. I'm going back to sleep."

When Chloe didn't respond, Beca had no choice but to comply. She tossed on a dry bikini and headed out to the deck. She stumbled back in surprise when she saw the canoe tied up to their deck and copious amounts of breakfast foods being offloaded by two Polynesian workers.

"Wow," was pretty much all Beca could say. She wrapped her arms around her wife who was in the midst of making Beca's coffee just as she liked. "You outdid yourself here Chlo. We don't even have to leave our hut. I can stuff myself and go back to bed!"

The redhead turned and gave Beca her coffee. "I didn't do this. Stacie did." They both took sips of the fresh coffee that had been delivered then sat down to enjoy the luxurious meal.

* * *

None of the friends wanted to return to Atlanta, yet they all had responsibilities to get back to. They did agree that this was the most amazing trip ever. The long flight back was spent trying to get their bodies back into the correct time zone so that they wouldn't be beat up too badly by jet lag.

Aubrey and Chloe wanted time to go through their pictures and video clips from the trip, so they sat together for a bit while Stacie and Beca visited. "Becs, General Posen approached me about something at the wedding. I need your opinion. He said he wants to start a private security company and wants me to help run it."

"Congrats Stace." Beca was excited for her best friend since this would really open doors for her future. "Your contacts with the department makes that ideal." When she noticed her friend wasn't exactly smiling, she asked. "But the look on your face says you aren't exactly happy with the offer."

"I love what I do at the department Beca. I know I got promoted to sergeant, but I don't think that's the end of the line for me. I can do so much more. Plus, I think I need more experience before running a private security firm."

"Did you talk to Aubrey about this? I mean, she  _is_  your wife now, and I don't want to get in between family."

Stacie ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. "Yes. We talked about the pros and the cons. She told me to do what I felt best – that she'd support my decision regardless."

"What  _do_  you feel is best? What do  _you_  want?" Beca turned in her seat so she could see Stacie's face to get a better read on her answers.

"I want to see how far I can go with the department. I don't feel I'm finished there. I told David I'd think about it and get back with him after the honeymoon. I am hoping that he'll understand and maybe leave the door open for us to do business together somewhere down the road."

"He and his wife adore you Stacie. I'm sure things will work out."

* * *

Beca's car service had sent two cars, one for each couple at the Atlanta airport. As she and Chloe were being driven back to their new house, Beca sighed deeply. "Ugh. Reality. I have been avoiding turning on my phone because I know it's going to blow up as soon as I do."

"Then don't do it until at least tomorrow Becs. Give yourself at least a day to catch up."

The car turned down Ladybug Lane and onto Grasshopper Circle. The driver and both women hopped out to unload the bags and parcels from the trunk. Eventually everything was schlepped inside, and the two women fell onto the couch. "It feels good to be home, doesn't it Becs?"

"Hmmm yeah."

"I'm going to make some iced tea; do you want some?"

"Sounds good. Do you need some help?"

Chloe told her she didn't and went to the kitchen to try to familiarize herself where everything was to make the tea. She hadn't spent any time at all in the new kitchen. "Ummm Beca?" Chloe's voice was full of confusion. This made Beca grin since she knew what Chloe had seen. "Can you come here?"

Beca went into the kitchen and threw her arm over Chloe's shoulder. "What's up?"

Chloe walked over to the glass French doors and looked outside for a better look. "What's that?" She pointed to a new structure under construction situated beyond the pond in another clearing.

"Oh, I guess they aren't finished. I kinda hoped they would have been done when we got back." She chuckled as she still didn't answer Chloe's question.

"Becaaaaa," Chloe whined. "What is it?" She turned to Beca and flashed her puppy dog eyes which she knew the brunette could not resist.

"Part of your wedding present?" Beca shrugged as Chloe poked her in the stomach. "Okay, okay. It's a horse barn. Well I suppose it could be a cow barn if you wanted. I didn't want to go  _too_  over the top, so there are only six stalls. We'll get a paddock fenced in and then another fence going around some of the acreage for grazing. But yeah, it's a barn."

When she didn't say anything, Beca was afraid Chloe might be disappointed. Yet when Chloe turned to look at her with tears of joy in her eyes, she realized her favorite redhead was simply in shock. "Are you okay with getting a horse? Or ummm a cow?"

Chloe threw her arms around her wife and squeezed her. "You, my lovely wife, are perfect."

* * *

Reality struck the next morning when Beca decided to finally break down and turn on her phone. She'd woken up before Chloe and had gone downstairs to start coffee. She knew what was going to happen when she powered on her device but was not prepared for the volume of messages, e-mail, and voice mail. "Fuck this." Beca switched her phone off and tossed it on the counter.

Luckily Chloe had made arrangements for the kitchen to be stocked with fresh food for their return. She made breakfast for Chloe who was still upstairs asleep, exhausted from the trip. She took it to her on one of the fancy serving trays she had found in the kitchen. She gently sat it beside the bed so that she could kiss her wife without spilling any of the food.

"Morning sleepy head." She brushed Chloe's red locks away from her face as she kissed her softly. "I brought breakfast. I thought we might share a bite to eat before I got to the studio."

A scowl immediately crossed Chloe's face. "You're leaving? Already?"

Beca's heart dropped seeing how disappointed her wife was. "There's a lot to check on babe. The new studio, some projects that should be close to completion, AND I turned on my fucking phone and it exploded. I'm going to have an intern go through my voicemails and messages while I answer e-mail from the office."

After Chloe woke up a bit and had a bite to eat, she was much more amenable to Beca's leaving. "I love you Mrs. Mitchell." Chloe giggled as she called out to Beca as she was leaving. The brunette almost stopped because that's one thing the couple had never discussed – names. What where they going to do about their names? But for now, she couldn't take time for that talk.

* * *

Beca drove into Atlanta in silence, no music, no news radio, nothing. She wasn't quite ready to be back in the real world quite yet. She had called Theo before she left and let him know she was on her way into the new studio. He was waiting outside when she arrived.

"Hey!" Theo was all chipper as they walked through the front door of the old  _Atlanta Feed and Seed._  "How's my favorite newlywed? I followed y'all's adventures on Instagram. Looks like you had a hell of a time."

"We did. I have some awesome stories." Beca nodded. She looked around the entry to the new studio. "Damn, a lot got done while I was gone."

They took a tour through the nearly completed studio. "The only part that we are really waiting on are the final furnishings and decorations."

"Wait, what? Are you serious? The studios?"

"Fully operational."

"The offices?"

"Done."

Beca animatedly ran through the new business, loving all that she was seeing. Theo could tell the wheels in her mind were spinning. After seeing the last studio, she swirled around and began peppering her partner with questions.

"Whoa, whoa, hold up there." Theo tried to bring his friend down from the eagerness she was displaying. He pulled her into one of the offices so they could have a seat and have a discussion about things. "Let's take your questions a bit slower now."

"When are you thinking about doing the grand opening?"

After referring to the calendar on his phone, he responded, "Three, maybe four weeks max."

"You said the studios are functional, right?"

"Yes Beca."

"I have the one single out. I haven't checked the charts. How's it doing?

Theo began laughing. "I'm ashamed you even asked that Beca. I thought your eyes would be glued on the charts."

"I kinda got married Theo! I've been a little busy." She waggled her eyebrows at him. "Plus we were on a technology moratorium while we were gone except Chloe and Aubrey posting honeymoon updates for the fans.

"I won't go into a lot of details, but let's just say it after it opened at number one, it hasn't left the top five since."

Beca gave a fist pump and shouted. "Yes! God, it's so different when the song is all yours." Beca's thoughts were all over the place. "Okay, next question. This is a biggie. How long would it take to cut three or four more songs and press a CD?"

"What?" Theo shoved his chair back from the table and buried his head in his hands. "Beca Mitchell, you are going to be the death of me. What the hell is going on in your mind?"

"You  _know_ I have songs in the hopper, several of which I want for myself. What if we released a surprise EP during the grand opening of the studio?" Beca hadn't even been thinking of this until Theo had told her that the new studio was virtually complete and ready to use. She began to spin around in her chair and play with the pens on the desk. "Come on Theo!"

"I have a better idea. Why don't we  _save_  those songs and use them to release a full album?" If Beca didn't know him better, she'd think her producer friend was whining.

Beca frowned. "Because with an album, I'm going to have to get out and promote it. I mean, I know I'm going to need to break down and do interviews for the EP and all that jazz. But a concert tour? No way in hell. I don't have it in me to go on tour. The prep alone would be killer. Vocal silence. Not to mention the food restrictions – no sugar, no bread, no dairy. God, I can't lose my cheese. Performers on tour have to give up so much. Just the physical wear and tear on my body AND my relationship. I'm just getting settled here in Atlanta with the new studio, new house, new wife… so no. No full-length album."

"Okay, okay, okay. I get it. No album. But your single is doing really well. Let's think about the EP idea for a day or two. Once you get caught up from your honeymoon, if you still think we can pull off a few more songs, we'll get you in the studio."

"Speaking of catching up, do we have any interns yet? I need someone to go through and catalogue my calls and messages. My phone kind of exploded this morning."

Theo rolled his eyes. "No interns yet, but I hired a receptionist who starts today. We'll put her on the task. You can be so lazy!"

Beca turned on her phone and showed him what had besieged her that morning. "Nope. Just don't want to deal with it."

"Once Aubrey is ready to start, I do have some contracts I need her to draw up. There is one major artist ready to jump labels, and I have at least two new artists who have great potential. She also needs to get you signed first under the new label, especially if we end up doing this EP. Beca was so distracted about everything going on that she did not even ask about the artists. Theo wasn't even sure if what he said registered with the tiny songwriter.

* * *

_Four Weeks Later_

After many late nights and lots of hard work, the afternoon of the grand opening had finally arrived. There had been a flurry of activity at the studio over the last few weeks. Producers and engineers had to be hired, a house band needed to be selected, final designs determined for the logo, the punch list was endless.

While Beca was away, Theo had narrowed down the selections for the permanent employees, but he wanted her to have a say as well since the studio was hers as much as his. She valued his opinion a great deal but appreciated being allowed a hand in the hiring. They decided to go only half-staff until after the opening but wanted to have people waiting to bring on board as soon as they started making music with others again.

Theo and Beca had approved the final design for the studio logo. All those supplies had arrived, and the interns from a local university were busy sorting and delivering business cards, stationery, pens, and the likes to all the offices. The metal works foundry delivered the sign and hoisted it into position above the studio doors then affixed a heavy canvas curtain over it to hide the sign from the prying eyes of the press and paparazzi trying to get a sneak peek.

Aubrey took an extended leave of absence from her regular job, another three weeks so she could work on the non-disclosure agreements, contracts, and other paperwork involved in getting the studio up and running. Her regular law firm was terrified she was about to quit on them so did not hassle her in the least about taking the extra time so soon after her honeymoon.

The blonde had her own office set up in a front corner on the third floor. She appreciated the forethought Beca had taken to give her an amazing view of the Atlanta skyline. Aubrey knew that her short little friend had put just as much time and energy into planning the studio as Chloe did in designing the house. The location of her office seemed something like a signing bonus from her friend.

Beca stood in the doorway of Aubrey's office and watched her look through the logo material the intern just dropped off. "You like it? The name and logo?" Aubrey jumped a little as she was startled by Beca's voice.

"I do. Your design?"

Beca nodded. "Well mine and Theo's." She walked over and pulled up a chair to sit next to Aubrey. She plucked one of the business cards from the stack. "22-Records. I can't believe it's finally a reality."

Knowing her friend might be slipping into one of her darker moods, Aubrey tried to talk her around the corner into brighter territory. "What's the significance? I mean, I get the music staff and the notes. But how does it all wrap together? I know it's deeper then you let on Mitchell."

Beca hummed as she traced each of the four notes on the card, emphasizing where each note was on the staff. She then sang, "ti-ta-ni-um" as she looked over to her friend for understanding. Aubrey knew the history of that song between Beca and Chloe and smiled softly.

"And 22-Records?"

"Twenty-two. Titanium has an atomic number of 22 on the periodic table. Plus, the element is a silver material which is why we choose the sign outside to be silver. Everything else is printed in black."

"She's going to love it." Aubrey didn't feel additional words were necessary.

"I hope so." Beca sighed as her entire demeanor changed to happy and cheerful. "Okay Bree. We have a grand opening to attend!"

* * *

At six pm sharp, everything was in place. Theo had again hired the Atlanta PD to provide crowd control for the event and paid to have the street in front of the building temporarily shut down. Once the initial event took place, invited guests would be moving to the interior courtyard of the old warehouse for food, entertainment and some special surprises, but for now, the press and visitors were gathered out front.

Two short poles were positioned in front of the door with a long ribbon hanging between them. An oversized pair of scissors was leaned up behind the door. Behind the ribbon stood Theo, Beca, Chloe, Aubrey, Stacie, a handful of the staff they had hired and a few other people from the music industry.

The press was jockeying for the best positions for camera shots and sound clips. The energy in the crowd was electrifying. When Theo stepped up to the microphone, all the sound died down as everyone's eyes were glued on him.

"Good evening and welcome to the Grand Opening of our new studio. Thank you to each and every one of you for being here with us today. Before I say too much, I'd like to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who helped us make this event come together to become a success." The crowd politely clapped.

"And thank you to my fabulous business partner, Beca Mitchell, without whom I wouldn't be standing here in front of this business today. She's the one who made me get out here and talk today, but frankly I don't want to take up too much of your time. We have so much more excitement planned for many of you in the courtyard."

He and Beca each reached up to grab a corner to the canvas covering the sign. "Without further ado, Beca and I present to you…" They pulled to reveal the sign. "22-Records." Then they grabbed the large scissors and cut the ceremonial ribbon. Beca glanced over and saw that Chloe had her hands clapped over her mouth, staring up at the sign. Aubrey was laughing as she had her arms around the redhead, shaking her out of her stupor. Beca knew that the significance of the notes on the sign and the name wouldn't slip past her wife.

Theo answered only a few short questions to the press before the VIP guests slipped through the building and into the courtyard. The invited guests presented their identification and were checked off a list on the side entrance and made their way into the coveted private party.

When Beca made the suggestion earlier in the week, Theo had quickly agreed to letting Chloe invite Atlanta super fans to the party. As at the release party in Los Angeles, the super fans were incredibly polite and non-pushy when it came to taking pictures from Beca and the other famous people in attendance. They loved being included and wasn't about to jeopardize what was seeming to be the start of a tradition with Beca Mitchell.

Everyone was mingling and enjoying the music blasting from the speakers when Beca jumped on stage and grabbed the mic. When the music stopped, the guests hurried to the stage, thinking Beca was going to do an impromptu performance. Instead, she spoke.

"Hey guys. Are you having a good time?" She laughed at the roar. "Glad to hear it. I'm so happy you were able to make it to the studio grand opening tonight. Pretty cool, huh?" She saw some younger fans reaching their arms out to her. She chuckled as she bent down and grasped one of the little girl's hands.

"Well I have another surprise for you. This isn't just the grand opening of 22-Records. Would it shock you if I told you that 22-Records has already signed and produced songs for a Grammy winner? I mean, it's just an EP, not a full album, but that's something, right?" Surprisingly enough, Beca was enjoying the hype building in front of her.

Soon some of the super fans caught on and began chanting. "Beca. Beca. Beca. Beca. Beca."

She chuckled as she relented. "Wow you guys are good. Without further ado, I present to you Beca Mitchell's, that's me, first Extended Play release –  _Loch_ é." She whipped a cloth off a board that had been propped on the stage revealing the cover of the album. The art was a black and white photograph of the back of a woman wearing a silky, wide-strapped tank top with long, wavy hair flowing over her back. The photograph was touched with bits of auburn running through some locks of hair ensuring that the everyone who knew about Beca would know the picture was none other than her wife.

Only a few people present knew about the release of the EP. Beca had made the decision to not hide this one from Chloe for several reasons, the main one being that Aubrey insisted that Chloe go under contract for being the model for the album cover. The other attendees went bananas, particularly the super fans who were taking social media by storm letting the whole Beca Mitchell fandom know about the new album dedicated to her new wife, even down to the name.

"Hey Beca, what's with the guitar?" A fan called out from the back of the audience.

When the singer grabbed the guitar and put the strap over her head, the crowd again roared their approval. "I decided that since you fans took the time out of your weekend to spend with us tonight that it is the least I can do to give you a preview of one of the new songs on the EP. I expect you," she swept her hand over the crowd, "to be live-streaming all this. Make those paparazzi outside jealous as hell." The fans went crazy and all made sure their phones were ready to go. "This is an acoustic version of the second single; the full version will drop early next week. It's called  _Colours_."

She pulled the mic into position and swung her guitar in front of her.

_Before you came into my life/Everything was black and white/Now all I see is colour/Like a rainbow in the sky/So, tell me your love will never fade/That I won't see no clouds of grey/'Cause I don't want another/You bring colour to my life, baby_

This song was the inspiration behind the black and white album cover with the tad bits of hair color.

_Life was so heavy, I was giving up, na-na/But since you came along, I'm light as a feather, ah/You give me something incredible, sensational, baby/When we're together, everything is better/My darling/Only you can brighten up my day/You make everything change, you rearrange/Don't go away/Let me tell ya_

As much as Beca tried to pull the audience into her music, her eyes kept landing on Chloe. She was singing with a cheesy grin on her face, smiling at her wife most the time. Luckily the crowd didn't care and were loving the new song.

_Before you came into my life/Everything was black and white/Now all I see is colour/Like a rainbow in the sky/So tell me your love will never fade/That I won't see no clouds of grey/'Cause I don't want another_

Gel lights across the base of the stage kept changing colors to match the words and beat of the song.

_I never thought that I would meet anybody/Who knows my body how you know my body /I can't deny I see us stick around 'cause we paint the town/Anyway that we want it/Like red and yellow and pink and green/That's what I see when you're here with me/Everything is brighter 'cause the limit is the sky_

_Baby, that's the way you make me feel/You know that/Only you can brighten up my day, yeah/You chase all those grey clouds away (you chase all those clouds away) /Help me find a brand new shade of me/You make everything change, you rearrange/Don't ever fade_

Many of the fans were dancing while others had their eyes and phones glued on the performer. Several of the audience members were also capturing Chloe, Aubrey, and Stacie who were dancing away to the upbeat song.

As Beca strummed the final notes, she was breathing heavily from the live performance. She slung her guitar behind her back and took the mic in both hands. After the applause died down, she spoke. "How was it? Did you like the song? The full version drops on Monday, but you heard it first here. And better yet, everyone here is going home with a signed copy of the EP."

Once she had a chance to catch her breath and cool off a bit, Beca migrated to one corner of the courtyard where tables had been set up with stacks of the freshly minted EP and a multitude of sharpies. The fans lined up for a personalized autographed copy of the CD and a selfie with the singer. Beca knew she wasn't planning on many CD releases, at least not anytime soon, so she wanted to make sure the people that have been supporting her from the beginning of her music career were rewarded with personal attention – even if it was only twenty to thirty seconds.

Beca was facing towards the back, talking to an intern when the next two women walked up to the autograph table. As she turned around and recognized the pair, she grinned and leapt up to greet them. "C.R., Emily – what a surprise to see you here! I'm so glad you could make it. Are the other Bellas here?" Beca scanned the crowd for her wife and friends in search of the other acapella singers.

"Nope, just us." C.R. was grinning. Emily had her arm draped over her friend's shoulders, emphasizing the five-inch height difference. "Good to see you friend. Loved the song – and the studio is on fleek."

When Theo saw who was talking to Beca, he rushed over. "Hey uhhh Becs. I know we haven't discussed this with us being so busy cutting your EP and all but meet 22-Records two newest artists. Glad you could make it to the opening girls."

"What the hell Theo. When did all of this go down?"

He laughed. "Chill Becs. Not  _at_  your wedding! I met with them the next day after you went on your honeymoon."

"Well damn Theo. You work fast. I guess I'll keep you around after all. Speaking of signing artists, didn't you mention there was a major artist who was jumping ship to come to our label?" Beca was coming out of the production stupor she had been in since returning from her honeymoon.

Theo nodded. "Remember the night we reunited at the concert? I believe Hailey's assistant told you that I'm the only producer she'll work with. She's ready to start a new album. I told her I would only do it under my own label, so her attorneys are trying to get her out of contract as we speak. But these two, we sign tomorrow!"

Deciding to deal with her business partner later, Beca turned her attention back to Emily and C.R. "I'm happy we get to work together. Where are you staying while in town?"

Emily shuffled her feet and nervously said, "Ummm Chloe invited us to stay at you guys' place. I hope that's cool."

"Of course!" Beca signed their CDs and took a few pictures, so she could get to the next fans waiting patiently in line.

* * *

By the time the party wound down, Beca was exhausted. "Who knew being so friendly to so many people could be so tiring?" Her humor was slapshot at best because of her total lack of energy.

"You are the one who wanted this!" Theo playfully shoved her shoulder as they all sat on the edge of the stage along with C.R. and Emily. "I just wanted to open a studio. But nooooooooooo, super Mitchell here wanted to release an EP at the same time."

Stacie piped up. "Over achiever!"

"I think it went well." Of course, Chloe would support Beca no matter what. "I haven't checked, but I bet Instagram and Twitter are blowing up." The redhead made an explosion sound and threw her hands into the air.

"So Chloe, pray tell how you came to invite Emily and C.R. to stay at our house."

Chloe twisted her lips sideways and glanced at Theo for support. He laughed as he watched the redhead try to figure a way out of the situation. "Errr because I knew they were coming?" Beca gave her wife a mock glare. "Theo told Aubrey draft some contracts for them to sign next week. Aubrey told me she had called them to invite them to the studio opening. Our house has plenty of room, so I invited them."

"You  _all_ knew?" Beca was shocked at her wife and friends.

"Not me bud. I've been working!" Stacie piped up.

Beca shook her head and laughed. "Theo, be glad I love you. And we better sign Hailey!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Colours – MNEK with Haliee Steinfield


	11. Interviews

As soon as the super fans flooded social media with the videos and pictures from the surprise EP release, Beca's agent was swamped with requests for interviews. Television shows, magazines, radio shows. Now that Beca seemed fair game, everyone wanted in. However, this was not unexpected. The singer had agreed that since they were releasing an EP for the studio grand opening, that she would open herself up to go on the talk show and radio circuit.

Beca's agent agreed to help arrange the beginning of the circuit but then explained that she had far too many clients that needed her assistance to focus so much time on Beca. Since the singer had signed with her own label, she didn't exactly need an agent. The agent recommended retaining a publicist who would be better at organizing the types of things the singer needed at this point in her career. Beca took her advice and also hired a personal assistant who could do some of the other things needed.

Aubrey researched some of the local public relations firms and set up a few interviews. This was a decision that needed to be made quickly to ensure that the plans went smoothly. Luckily, she found a firm with a publicist with sufficient openings in her schedule to arrange the rest of Beca's press tour.

After a long discussion with Chloe, she and Beca decided that since summer break was coming, Chloe could go on the circuit with her. Then when that was over, they could return home and Beca would get back to work producing music. Beca knew it would be a long journey and refused to be away from her bride a single night.

* * *

"Welcome back to Power 96.1 where we are joined by Atlanta's most famous up and coming singer and song writer, Beca Mitchell. We are so honored to have you here Beca."

The short singer reached up to readjust the huge mic hanging in front of her face. "Thanks for having me." She found it easier to talk if she was able to see the DJ who was interviewing her.

He smiled, trying to ease Beca's discomfort. "I understand this is your first radio interview since you've hit it big in the music industry."

She grinned. "Yup. I figure why not give the home town first shot at little old me."

The DJ laughed. "Well we appreciate that. You've really set the music world on fire since you entered the scene a few years ago. Two Grammys right off the bat, a newly released EP album, and your latest single, _Coming Home_ hasn't left the top ten in weeks.

Nervous chuckle came from Beca. "I have a whole team around me who make a difference, none of this would happen without them."

"We all heard the background for your current hit, _Coming Home,_ on Ellen. Let's go back a bit and talk about when the music industry learned the name Beca Mitchell. Talk to me about _Hurt Somebody_ , the song you wrote, co-produced, and co-sang with Noah Kahan. Where did the idea for that song come from?"

Knowing this question would be a possibility, Beca was prepared. "I was having a pretty rough time in my life, struggling with some demons, more than I care to admit. I had met a very special woman who kept me from spiraling down into a deep, dark pit of despair. The song was my attempt to tell her how she affected me and basically to ask for her to not leave me."

"Did it work?" The DJ kept a pleasant smile on his face, keeping Beca relaxed.

"I guess so. We're now married!"

"I can surmise we are talking about Chloe. Is she your motivation behind more songs?"

Beca nodded as she grinned back at him. "The songs I've written since we met… every single one of them."

"Well Beca, it's been a pleasure getting a bit of insight about you. Maybe we can talk again sometime."

"Thanks for having me."

* * *

Beca was so relieved to have her first interview out of the way. They had decided to get her feet wet and introduce her to the interview circuit with a local station. Now the difficult journey began to Los Angeles for some television talk shows and a few radio shows. Then she was headed to New York for another round of talk shows as well as several magazine interviews.

Because she had given Ellen her inaugural interview when _Coming Home_ dropped, Beca only had two television interviews before heading to New York where her schedule would be packed. She would do a few radio interviews which were quick and focused on her songs and album. Luckily, because of the taping times of the late night television shows, she could do them both in one day.

However, something that wasn't considered for both interviews being done on the same day is the pre-work that was to be done with James Corden before his Late, Late Show which started taping at 5:30. Beca and Chloe met him at the studio during morning rush hour traffic. With that show and then Jimmy Kimmel starting at 7:00, they barely had time to breath between the day's activities.

When the couple showed up for Beca's interview with James Corden  they were shown into the green room where Chloe could wait while Beca was on stage. Both women munched on some of the goodies that were laid out and mingled with the other guests for the night.

Because Beca had another interview later that evening, she was the first guest. The producer had her standing right off stage while James announced his first guest. She then trotted out on stage and gave him a hug before taking a seat. "Here we are Beca Mitchell. You and me and a few of my best friends." He motioned to the audience.

"Just little old me," Beca pointed to herself. "Seriously I'm glad to be here."

"I got a phone call the other day from my friend, Theo Davies who happens to be your business partner and is also British. I learned that my name came up at the Grammys a few years back."

Beca blushed as she replied. "Yeah that was my girlfriend, now wife Chloe. She's a huge fan of yours and just assumed since you are a Brit and he is a Brit..."

"… that all people from England know each other. I get that a lot." Corden nodded his head. "When Theo called, he said that Chloe wanted you to come on my show but she had a condition."

"She's kind of demanding like that." Beca laughed as she wrinkled up her nose. "But I love her."

"Let's take a look at what her mandate got us."

The screen behind James and all the monitors flashed to Corben sitting in the driver's seat of his car. "This traffic is absolutely horrible today. Corden for keeping me company through the drive." The camera panned to show Beca sitting in the passenger seat. The crowd roared their approval as Carpool Karaoke was one of the more popular segments on James' show.

"No problem." Beca pulled her hair back into a loose pony tail. "Mind if we listen to some music?" She reached over to turn on the radio. "Hey, I know this song." She laughed as she began to sing _Coming Home_ with Corden singing along _._ During the bridge, she motioned to the traffic around her. "Los Angeles isn't always so frantic, is it? This is snail's pace."

They both laughed as Corden and Beca finished _Coming Home_ then launched into _Colours_. As the next song started, Beca began singing. Corden piped up, "That's not even your song. You trying to ruin my segment?"

"But it's an awesome song. Hush. Sing."

_You shout it out/But I can't hear a word you say/I'm talking loud not saying much/I'm criticized but all your bullets ricochet/You shoot me down, but I get up/I'm bulletproof nothing to lose/fire away, fire away…_

Chloe popped up from where she had been laying down in the back seat and began harmonizing with her wife.

_Ricochet/take your aim/fire away, fire away/you shoot me down_

Corden looked back like he was shocked there was a redheaded stowaway in his back seat and joined in with the two women.

_But I won't fall/I am titanium/you shoot me down but I won't fall/I am titanium_

Chloe's eyes were closed at the beginning throughout parts that she was singing. Then she opened her eyes and began to have more fun as she moved forward to prop both elbows on the front seats so her head could be between Beca and the host.

_Stone-hard, machine gun/Firing at the ones who run/Stone-hard, thus bulletproof glass/You shoot me down but I won't fall, I am titanium_

Chloe acted like she was firing a machine gun at the slow moving cars next to them as Beca beat against the "bulletproof" windows.

As the Carpool Karoke segment ended, the crowd went ballistic. James was laughing. "That was a little different than some segments, but Chloe - she's just so adorable and demanding."

"Told you!" Beca raised her eyebrows. "When there's something she wants, she normally gets."

Corden laughed. "Well there is another thing I do to make my show a little different – and that's to sometimes give my audience a little peek into the green room."

Beca's eyes widened as she thew her head back laughing. "Oh this is going to be great. Does Chloe know?"

"Naw, we put the room on a short delay so the camera shots will be a surprise." The audience began clapping. The screens flipped on to show a few of the other guests wandering around the green room, picking through the offerings on the buffet table. "Which one is Chloe, your wife?"

"See that gorgeous redhead sitting on the edge of the couch with her hands resting on her knees?" Beca's chest swelled with pride. "That's my girl."

Corden grabbed his mic which was connected to the rooms. "Hellllllloooooooooooooooo Chloe." He laughed. "Wave to the audience."

The redhead's snapped up as she looked around for the source of the voice. She spied the camera mounted in the corner and waved. Fighting her embarrassment of being pointed out, she chirped. "Hi James."

"I have your wife captive out here. We decided to do another bit I like to do where I give my audience a behind the scenes look at the green room. Why don't you give us a tour?" A camera slipped into the room. Chloe actually did a good job of taking the audience through the room, introducing some of the guests and who had joined them – of course she had met everyone in the room. All in all, she did an excellent impromptu performance.

"Well Beca it has certainly been great having you here tonight. I hope you'll join me again soon."

"Definitely James. I had a great time."

* * *

Beca didn't have much time to dally around the set of the Late, Late Night show because she had less than an hour to make it to Jimmy Kimmel's set on Hollywood Boulevard and get ready for her interview with him. Because of scheduling, she would be Jimmy's final guest.

"Welcome to the show, two time Grammy winner Beca Mitchell."

"Thanks for having me Jimmy." Beca was exhausted but doing her best to channel her inner Chloe and keep a smile on her face and a chipper note in her voice.

"Okay I'm going to start out with the question that EVERYONE has been dying to know the answer to. What is your geekiest secret talent?"

Beca laughed as her cheeks blushed. She covered her face with her hands. "Oh my god, I can't believe I'm about to admit this. Do you remember that viral video a few years back – the one with singing and a cup? Yeah, that's actually, that was just a viral video that I found on reddit. I am a huge fucking loser so I decided to spend an afternoon learning to do that thing with the cups and learning that song."

"That's a pretty cool trick."

"It took so long to learn from that video! Like, I could teach a person to do it pretty quickly. But when you're just watching a video of somebody doing it, like not doing it slowly, it took me a long time.

"Exactly how much time do you spend on reddit?"

"I could get my phone, I'm sure it's open on my phone right now. I'm sure it is."

"Are you one of these people—because they have pictures, they have videos, they have everything; are you across the board interested in everything?

"When I first got an account I chose my sub-reddits and stuff, but I find more and more I just go to all."

"Okay you big nerd, let's talk about why you're really here. Your music." Beca shifted in her chair, put her elbows on the table and leaned forward. "You blasted into the scene your freshman year with two Grammys, big ones. How does that feel?"

"Humbling, very humbling. I have a music degree from the University of Seattle then got out of music for a bit for personal reasons. When I ran into an old classmate, who is now my business partner Theo Davises, we just started making music and then things snowballed from there."

"How did you handle all the instant hype?"

"I didn't really. That's why I shied away from interviews until now. My songs were being bought up as quickly as we could cut demos. Artists were wanting us to produce for them. The Grammys really escalated a fledgling business. In all honesty, I consider it pure luck."

"I think your fans would consider it pure talent. Well I wish you the best of luck. I'm glad you took the time to come talk with us tonight. Beca Mitchell has a new Extended Play album out – _Loché."_ He held up the CD. "Each of you are going home tonight with a copy!"

* * *

By the time Chloe and Beca made it back to the hotel, Beca collapsed on the bed. "Today was brutal babe." She rolled over to her stomach so Chloe could rub her back. "God I'll give you two hours to stop that." The redhead leaned down to brush her wife's hair away from her neck so she could have some skin to kiss.

"You got a lot accomplished today. Of course you are tired. I can't believe that you really got to do Carpool Karaoke!"

"WE got to do Carpool Karaoke. I'm delighted that James went with our idea. Of course who can deny Chloe Beale?"

"Chloe Mitchell." Chloe loved teasing her wife about the name issue since they hadn't discussed what to do about it.

"We still need to have that conversation. BUT, I'm too tired right now."

"At least we have a day to rest before we get on a plane to the big Apple."

"Did you have fun today Chlo? I mean I know you had a great time singing, but are you happy that you decided to go on the interview circuit? I have a feeling that once we get to New York, LA is going seem like a walk in the park. Photo shoots, magazine interviews, early morning shows, late night shows – it's going to be wild."

Chloe tucked her hand under one of Beca's shoulders and nudged her to turn back over on her back. The redhead propped herself on one elbow so she could lean in and pepper her wife's face with kisses. Beca took a deep breath as Chloe moved to her neck, running her fingers randomly over Beca's body. "I wouldn't have it any other way Becs. I love being on the road with you. Yeah, I miss our house and friends, but I'm with you which is the most important fact."

Beca reached up to slip her hand behind the redhead's neck and pulled her down closer to kiss her properly. Suddenly Beca was overwhelmed with her desire for her wife and buried her face into Chloe's, kissing her deeply. She arched her back and pushed it into Chloe as she hooked her knee around her wife's to pull her body closer as well. Pressing her tongue into Chloe's mouth showed her desire and ache.

"I thought you were tired baby."

"Shhhhh." Beca turned Chloe over in order to reach her body. Just touching her wife's breasts was not enough, so she slipped her hand beneath the redhead's shirt and pulled it over her head then used the hand to cup her wife's face.

Beca's mouth consumed Chloe's with so much want and desire that there was no opportunity for protest. That, or there was no protest to be had. Beca slid her hand back down to gently cup Chloe's breast. She released the hold on Chloe's mouth so that she could run her tongue firmly down Chloe's body to take a breast fully into her mouth, caressing her nipple with her tongue. Beca quickly found the other nipple with her fingers.

When no complaints ensued nor resistance, Beca moved back up Chloe's body to kiss her again. Chloe grabbed Beca's head and pulled it tightly so she could press her tongue deep inside Beca's mouth. Beca began gently sucking on Chloe's tongue then allowed Chloe to slowly withdraw as the women looked deeply into each other's eyes.

Beca quickly unfastened Chloe's pants, helping her wife to wriggle out of them. Beca was shocked to find Chloe was not wearing any underwear. Chloe looked at her with a wicked look and immediately wrapped her leg back around her wife to press her wetness against Beca's thigh. She was dripping. There was no waiting or further teasing as Beca decided to not waste any more time with foreplay.

Beca slipped her fingers into her wife swiftly, deeply, fully. Chloe's head fell back as Beca dipped her own head back down to again give attention Chloe's breast. Chloe's leg kept them close and her movements encouraged Beca to move deeper and faster with her motions, her whimpers, and her words. Chloe sighed and arched her back to give Beca better access.

Beca could no longer resist tasting her wife, a taste she always missed when they were apart. Luckily since they did not have to be apart, Beca could indulge in her desire whenever she wanted. Beca scooted down Chloe's body, licking her skin along the way. She gently moved her wife's leg over her shoulder while Chloe adjusted the other to the same position. Slowly at first, Beca began to use her tongue to circle around Chloe's core, teasing and playing. She then buried her face deep into Chloe's crotch with her tongue as far as she could reach. Chloe's juices drained from her body, engulfing Beca's face.

 _Oh how I want to hear you moan._ Beca's thoughts were overwhelming her brain as she tried to concentrate on keeping her wife's pleasure going. Suddenly, as Chloe had been listening to Beca's inner most silent desires, a low deep moan escaped from her throat. Beca quickened the pace with her tongue. She could feel Chloe's legs quivering and she knew the bolts of energy were coursing through her body.

Chloe's hand grasped Beca's hair, wrapping the brown locks around her fingers, which signaled the impending explosion. Beca lightened the touch of her tongue and slipped one finger deep within Chloe. With a few more quick motions, Chloe's body spasmed hard and long. The redhead cried out, collapsing against the bed. Beca gently twisted out of the grip of Chloe's legs and laid her wife's legs comfortably on the bed. She crawled back up to kiss her wife gently on the cheek and snuggled up against the redhead.

* * *

The couple was able to catch up on a little rest the next day before their early morning flight to New York the next day. Chloe spent some time organizing the mini-super-fan contests like she had done in Los Angeles. She'd recruited the help of some of the other creative teachers at her school to come up with things to ask the fans to do like fan art of Beca and of Beca and Chloe or Tweets about why they should be chosen to win. This also allowed location announcements for the non-winners to show up for a hopeful pictures and autographs.

Marcus, Beca's new PR guy, had been able to get about six to eight pairs of tickets to each of the shows Beca would be at. He had wanted to take over Beca's social media accounts, but that idea was quickly rejected. Beca explained that Chloe enjoyed the task and that since she'd be on the interview tour with her, posts and pictures would be instantly posted. As well, she had an excellent handle on how to handle and select super-fans for the events and giveaways since it was her original idea to start with. "Maybe when things get too big for her to handle, we can revisit this. But for now, my wife maintains in control."

Once they arrived in New York City, Beca and Chloe got settled into their hotel and then contacted the Marcus to get Beca's final schedule. Taking into consideration the four-hour time difference between the west and east coasts, she was scheduled for a photo shoot for People and Entertainment Weekly magazines later in the day. While the mags would use completely different sets of pictures, the magazines were owned by the same parent company and used the same photographers, so doing the photo shoots on the same day made sense.

Countless shots were taken with different themes and numerous outfits. Entertainment Weekly would ultimately choose one of her standing behind two Grammy trophies, wearing a pair of her trademark sunglasses, sporting a tough girl look on her face. People chose a friendlier look – a simple headshot of a charming, smiling Beca with minimal makeup which allowed her natural beauty to shine.

* * *

Beca's first morning interview was on Good Morning America. Michael Strahan and Robin Roberts were such friendly hosts and interviewers who sensed Beca's nervousness and tried to make her feel more comfortable. "What was it like working with Selena Gomez on the song that won you a Grammy?" Roberts had such an easy going manner that Beca was easily pulled into the interview.

"I would say that Selena she understands what other musicians think of her but still she makes you feel comfortable. She has this incredible talent of making you forget how big of a pop star she is. And that's no easy feat. I really think that it's something that she's thought about and worked on."

"Did you take notes since you're moving so quickly in your career? Surely you try to put people at ease because you're such a big deal!"

Beca snickered. "I don't think I'm going to have to worry about that. It's like the opposite of what my life to ever be. Nobody will ever be intimidated by little old me."

"Well your fan base adores you, especially the smaller ones. You've gotten lots of good press about how you treat your youngest fans."

"That is so bizarre to me because I feel like I'm so bad with kids. When they walk up to me and are excited to talk to me, it's bewildering. I always feel like I'm going to disappoint them. But I haven't broken any hearts yet. The younger ones are so funny though. I'm slowly getting better at it."

"I've also heard people describe you as like the ultimate cool girl partially because of your presence on social media. Do you like that people think you're approachable or is it overwhelming?"

"Hell yeah I love it! It's the first time in my life people have thought I'm cool. I really wish that I had figured that out in high school. Actually I can't take credit for Instagram and Twitter. My wife Chloe takes care of most of that." Beca was grinning. "She does a great job of making me trendy."

"I love your new EP album _Loché_!" Strahan leaned forward to express his interest. "You are such a prolific song writer. And obviously your songs are successful. Why didn't you release a full-length album?"

Beca laughed. "You sound just like Theo, my business partner. I liked the idea of a shorter album to reward my loyal fans and listeners. But a full length album would necessitate a tour to promote. I have a new wife, not to mention a new studio, 22-Records. Both take a lot of my time and attention. Going on a tour right now doesn't make sense for me personally or professionally."

"Beca Mitchell, it has been a pleasure talking to you. We hope you'll come back to see us again soon."

"Thanks for having me."

* * *

After Good Morning America, Beca spent the afternoon doing interviews for both _People_ and _Entertainment Weekly_. The conversations were a little longer which would give the writer more material to work with. Entertainment Weekly focused strictly on music while People dug a little more into Beca's life around her profession.

People's interviewer turned on her recording device and leaned back in her chair. "I'm delighted to be talking to you today Beca. Do you mind if I record our interview? I find it much more efficient than taking notes." Beca nodded that it was okay. "So tell me, have you always been interested in music?"

Beca did not have to even think about her answer. "Pretty much. My earliest memories all include music in some fashion. This extended into the University of Seattle where I met my business partner and co-producer, Theo Davies. I double majored in Business Administration and Music with an emphasis on Recording and Editing."

"Oh, you are a smarty pants."

Beca blushed before rolling her eyes in jest. "Not at all. Education was my mom's doing. She insisted I have a strong background in whatever career I chose."

"If you weren't so deeply involved in the music industry, what would you be doing?"

"That's easy – I'd be a police officer. Right out of college, I was one of Atlanta's finest for several years."

The interviewer seemed puzzled by this response as public servant definitely wasn't a career she'd expect by someone so successful in music. "So you went to college for music, then became a cop?"

Beca gave her a nervous look, indicating that topic was a bit touchy. "Yup," she chuckled. "That's what I did. But music drew me back in and here I am today!"

"Why did you decide to become a songwriter along with everything else you do?"

"In college, I had a strong focus on production. But I've always dabbled with lyrics as well as the melodies behind them. For me, one doesn't come without the other. When I visualize a song, the pieces flow into my mind together."

"You've written songs for Selena Gomez and others. How is writing for different artists – one versus the other?"

"In all honesty, most of the songs of mine that others have used were not written _for_ anyone. When I write a song, it's just a song. Then I cut a demo. Theo shops it around until we find someone who snatches up unless I keep the song for myself like I did with the ones on _Loché._ "

"If you could give our writers two nuggets of advice, what would they be?

Beca took a moment to think. "First, live in the moment. For example, my last words will probably be 'I can do that. Hold my beer.'" The interviewer laughed. "My second smidgen of advice would be as you live in the moment, make sure you make plans for the future. Like I just have to convince my friends and family that if I die unexpectedly to just do the right thing and pretend I was a way better person than I am."

The interviewer went through some more questions then wrapped things up.

* * *

Perhaps Beca's most favorite interview was on the _Today Show._ Little did she know that the entire experience was going to be right up her alley. Before she left the green room, she kissed her wife and went to stand off stage for her intro. She was excited because her interviewers were Hoda Kotb and Carson Daly. Carson was a former radio DJ and even hosted _The Voice_ at one time. His music knowledge gave her comfort the dialogue would go well.

"Joining us this morning is two time Grammy award song-writer, producer, and singer – Beca Mitchell." The tiny brunette trotted out on the stage to take her place on the couch. "You've been a busy woman."

"I try," Beca grinned. "It keeps me out of trouble."

Carson laughed. "Somehow I feel you get into a lot of trouble. Tell us Beca, what is the most trouble you've ever gotten into?"

Beca plastered a look of innocence and shock on her face. "Trouble? Who, me? I've never gotten into any trouble! Except for the time I dyed my hair blonde and left my eyebrows dark brown… Does that count? That was TROUBLING!"

Both Hoda and Carson laughed. "You've accomplished so much in your career Beca. Where do you see yourself in ten years?"

Beca grinned. "That's easy. Doing exactly what I'm doing now, only BIGGER! I see myself maybe traveling the world and spreading a positive message with my music. I see myself having collaborated with other artists that I admire and am inspired by. I see myself writing for/producing/mentoring up-and-coming talent. I see myself having opportunities to be philanthropic as a result of my hard work. And…I see myself ten years older."

"Wow you have put a lot of thought into that."

Beca tossed her hand up in a dismissive gesture. "Naw, I'm just brilliant." She laughed as she took a look outside at the audience gathered outside Rockafeller Plaza. "Wow, you folks are popular. But you don't have the paps like I do. Lucky dogs."

"You have quite a group out there today Beca." Hoda laughed. "There are fans of all ages and genders Some pretty hot ones, too, I might add. Maybe give your wife a run for her money."

"I doubt that," Beca scoffed.

"I don't know. She's pretty good looking." Hoda motioned to the producers and the cameras panned to a side group of fans all holding signs for Beca. This made Beca grin since she didn't know she had a fan base outside the studio. Then the camera zoomed in on one sign. It had a huge red heart in the middle and said _I Love Beca Mitchell_ in huge letters. The camera then zoomed out to show the face of the person holding the sign. The woman had long, wavy red hair and was nobody else other than her wife, Chloe.

Beca burst out laughing. "Yeah, well, she IS my biggest fan."

Then, as if on cue, Chloe and all the fans outside flipped their signs over. Chloe's said _Beca, sing us a song._ All of the other signs had a version of the same message. Basically everyone out there were begging for Beca to perform. Beca was laughing at the antics of all the people outside the window. A producer flipped a switch so they could hear the crowd. They were all chanting. "Beca! Beca! Beca!" The audience inside began chanting as well.

Carson looked at his guest. "The crowd has spoken Beca. How about it? Will you perform for us?"

"Dude, I don't even have a guitar."

"Yeah you do, we have a brand new Ovation acoustic waiting for you. I thought maybe afterwards, you could sign it so we can auction it off for charity."

"You had me at charity. Let's do it."

After commercial break, Beca was set up outside in the fenced off area where the hosts normally were during the first hour of the show. Because she was promoting her EP and two songs had already been released as singles. She decided to sing one of the other songs off the album.

When she got to the chorus, her eyes locked onto Chloe's. Her wife loved all her songs, but Beca used this one because she was in a cocky mood for being called out during her interview.

_One kiss is all it takes/Fallin' in love with me/Possibilities/I look like all you need/One kiss is all it takes/Fallin' in love with me/Possibilities/I look like all you need_

She tapped her chest as she sang the words 'fallin in love with me'. Then she pointed to Chloe each time she sang 'I look like all you need".

_Something in you lit up heaven in me/The feeling won't let me sleep/'Cause I'm lost in the way you move, the way you feel_

The small crowd was utterly energized by Beca's presence and performance. One of the producers brought out a bag full of CDs while some lackeys set up some tables. While this was happening, Beca signed the guitar and then posed with Hoda and Carson and again with the group of fans. Chloe wrapped her arms around the sweaty singer. "You have some energy left for your fans?"

"I always have strength for them. Let's go snap some pics and sign some CDs."

* * *

New York was definitely a whirlwind of a trip. Beca did interviews with Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Cobert, and Seth Myers. She also spoke at several radio stations and even played some more impromptu shows were definitely broadening the Beca's audience and drumming up interest in not only her album but expanding business coming into 22-Records.

A few days away from Beca and Chloe's return to Atlanta, Marcus called. "Hey Beca. Your interviews are going unbelievably well. So well that I've had a few more requests come in, big ones. The first is that _Rollling Stone_ wants to do a cover feature. And apparently you come across as funny as hell. I thought your sarcastic, sardonic self would be off putting. But apparently it works. _Saturday Night Live_ wants you to host. They have their schedule set for a while, so _SNL_ wouldn't be for a while."

"I'm really ready to come home Marcus. Can I get a break, maybe push _Rolling Stone_ back a few months?"

"I'll see what they say. Maybe we can time things for _SNL_ and the _Rolling Stone_ business to happen for the same trip for you.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First let me say that this is my busy season at work. I literally travel away from home about five days of every week. I have been trying to stay a few chapters ahead, but with this one, I couldn't. It's not as polished as I like, but I'm trying to stick to a schedule.
> 
> Second, I struggled a lot with what I wanted to happen in the interviews. I went through a lot of AK's print interviews and pulled some things from there, trying to modify them to make sense for the story. Here are interviews from which I pulled:
> 
> Outakes from an interview with LA Weekly in 2013  
> Snippets of an interview with Collider dot com  
> One more that I forgot to write down and can't find now
> 
> One Kiss: Dua Lipa, Calvin Harris


	12. Children?

Beca lay with her back up against the large oak tree. Chloe was snuggled against her stomach, between her legs. They often found themselves in this spot in the field at their new home. It was quiet - no lights from the house, no road noise, nothing. Through some of the branches of the sprawling oak tree, sometimes the sparkle of a few stars would shine through. After being on the road so long, the relaxation offered was refreshing.

"Have you ever thought about children Grasshopper?" Chloe absently ran her fingers along the bare skin up Beca's shin to her knee.

"Mmhm." Beca's non-committal response caused Chloe to chuckle. "What Bug? Don't laugh. Kids scare me. I don't think they like me much." She wrapped a lock of scarlet hair around her finger.

"Babe, they are tiny. How can they scare you?"

"I'm tiny, but I am pretty bad ass. I think they sense that. Then they shy away, and I'm afraid I'll mess up." This response got a chortle from Chloe.

"I've seen how you respond to your youngest fans. You adore them, and they love you back."

"Have you thought about kids Chlo?" Beca asked this despite knowing the answer.

"Yeah. I'd like a child...someday. When it's the right time."

Frustrated at Chloe's half answers on a subject she, herself, had brought up, Beca asked, "What makes it the right time?"

"I guess when we are both ready. Old enough to know what we are getting into yet young enough to be able to fully enjoy raising our own child."

"I see." Beca was quiet for a bit. She continued to run her fingers through Chloe's hair. "Well... I'm sure not carrying this child. I guess we'll just have to hire a surrogate mother." She couldn't resist teasing to get a rise out of the redhead.

Chloe spun around on her rear to face her wife with a shocked look on her face. "Beca Mitchell. We'll do no such thing. All my life I've dreamed of having kids, well a kid," she quickly corrected herself when she saw Beca's reaction to the plural. Chloe batted her long eyelashes as she leaned up to kiss Beca. "May I have your child Grasshopper?"

Kissing her back, Beca smiled and muttered, "Is that your way of saying you want to be my baby mama?" Chloe nodded as she nuzzled into Beca's neck. "Why do I have the feeling you already have this all worked out in your head?"

Chloe stood up and held her hands out to pull Beca off the ground. "Let's go back to the house. We can make dinner and I'll tell you all about it."

* * *

The redhead had indeed made quite a few plans and worked out many more details than Beca could have imagined. By the time Chloe finished explaining their options, the brunette's head was spinning. "They can seriously do that? Take my egg and use someone else's… stuff… and you can carry my baby?"

Chloe nodded. "Or we can use my egg. But I really, really, really want you to be genetically connected to our child. Plus I'd give anything for our baby to have your musical talents."

"Bug, your musical skills are nothing to sneeze at. What if I want our baby to be connected to you?"

The redhead twisted her lips sideways trying to figure out the best way to say what she wanted. She finally decided to just blurt it out. "Fred. Fred would help us. I mean it would all be done legally, of course, and I'm sure he'd agree to relinquish his parental rights and just be an uncle. And Fred adores you."

"Your brother? You want the brother to be the father of our baby?" Beca squinched up her nose at the idea.

Chloe grabbed both of her wife's hands in her own. "I want you to be the biological mother Beca, and I want to carry our baby. Fred, he's just a means to an end. We can always go to a donor bank, but using Fred would mean that our child would be genetically a part of both of us."

Beca leaned forward to kiss her wife then pulled one hand away to run it through her hair. "It's a lot to think about Chloe. I mean a child is serious business. And what you are explaining is beyond intense. Can I think about it?"

"Of course. I'm just glad you haven't told me no yet!" Chloe's smile had been unwavering the entire conversation. Both she and Beca knew that the redhead would probably soon be getting her way.

Beca sighed before speaking. "I guess this might be a decent time to have another conversation we've been avoiding. Especially if we end up starting a family. What are we going to do about last names?" Beca nervously shuffled her feet. "I hate to say it, but with my career sky rocketing the way it is, I don't really think it's feasible for me to change my name. And you hyphenating your name would mean our baby would have a hyphenated name which would make his or her name longer than hell." Just the thought of the complications frustrated Beca.

Chloe put her hand on her wife's arm to stop her from rambling. "I'd like to take your last name Beca. I've hinted to you enough."

"Chloe but what about your last name? Beale is who you are, who you identify as." Beca was extremely anxious which is why she'd been avoiding this conversation.

"You are my wife Becs. I love you, and I want your last name. I want our future child to have your last name. I already think of myself as a Mitchell anyway." She took Beca's face in her hands. "Look at me sweetie. I have a huge, tremendous, happy family. There are lots of Beales in my bloodline. You are the last Mitchell in your lineage. I want you to have a family with your name, too. And it starts with me. Us."

Beca looked up as tears began to leak from the corner of her eyes. "What did I ever do to deserve you Chloe?"

Chloe used the pads of her thumbs to wipe away the tears. "You loved me Becs. May I please take your last name?"

"Will you at least ask your parents first?"

* * *

The next Saturday at girls' afternoon out, Chloe was ecstatic to share her and Beca's talk with Aubrey. The blonde calmly listened. When the redhead finished her story, a huge smile began to form across Aubrey's face. "I think she'll come around Bree. Isn't that awesome?"

"Yes Chlo."

"Why are you so quiet? I thought you'd be more excited." Chloe was worried that she'd somehow offended her friend.

"I'm smiling, aren't I?" Aubrey had a faraway look on her face but soon turned her attention back to her friend. "We can't escape this, can we?"

Chloe forked another mouthful of her salad and asked, "Escape what Bree?"

"Stacie and I have been talking about having children, too." She laughed as Chloe let out a loud squeal and latched her arms around her friend. "That's not too weird, is it?"

"What would be strange about us both having babies?"

"Our wives already tease us about being connected at the hip."

Chloe laughed and agreed, but since they already do everything together – why not? "What's bothering you Bree? You sure don't have the look of a woman excited about starting a family."

The blonde took a deep breath before letting it out as she rested her hands on her forehead. "Just work stuff." She leaned back in her chair as the stress showed on her face.

"Corporate law work stuff or 22-Records work stuff?"

"22-Records."

"Can you talk about it?"

Aubrey thought for a while before nodding. "But you can't tell Beca though. I know she is worn out from the interview circuit, and I don't want to stress her out until Theo and I have a handle on it." Chloe waited patiently for her friend to continue.

"Yesterday, the studio got a Cease and Desist letter from Jack Back Records, the studio David Guetta worked with in 2011 when he released  _Titanium_. I'm sure it was prompted by the Carpool Karaoke bit on the Corden show. The letter demanded we stop using our studio name and logo which they claim violates their copyright on his song."

"Does it? I thought that would have been cleared already?"

"There is no wrong doing. The notes on the music staff are a sampling and not even enough to be a violation if we used them in a song. There are only so many chords that can be created musically. Four notes barely comprises a chord progression." Aubrey sighed again and continued. "The letter also demanded that Beca not sing  _Titanium_  or make any references to the song in her interviews."

"That's bullshit Aubrey. Corden wouldn't have allowed us to sing that song had they not gotten the rights to it. And how the hell can someone claim "ownership" of a friggin' chemical element?"

"I know Chlo. But the letter was signed by a judge. We have two weeks to comply."

"What? And you haven't told Beca?"

* * *

**_Flashback to the arrival of the Cease and Desist Order_ **

_Aubrey signed for the envelope from the courier and read its contents. When she realized what it was, she paled and immediately picked up the phone to call Theo into her office. She frantically thrust the court order towards him. "Read this shit. They can't do that, can they? Wait I'm the lawyer. They can't do this!"_

_Theo read over the letter from the court. "Geez, it's even signed by a judge. That kind of makes it binding." He read it again. "Wait, I know the lead producer for that tiny studio. We used to do a lot of work together. Let's call her right now." Without waiting for an answer, Theo put Aubrey's office phone on speaker and dialed the personal line of the producer he knew._

_"Julia! Theo Davies here… Thanks, I'm happy to have my own place now. Look, my attorney got a crazy Cease and Desist letter from your studio today… Yup, signed by a judge and everything… Okay, I'll fax it over. I need you to call me back ASAP… Bye Julia."_

_Theo looked at Aubrey and grinned since she had heard conversation. Julia obviously knew nothing of the court order and freaked out. "I'm sure we'll hear from her soon. Meanwhile, don't worry about it. We are legal in these matters; you know that. And let's not tell Beca. She's got too much on her plate._

* * *

After the weekend, Beca spent some time talking to some of her colleagues with children as well as some her friends from the force who were balancing work and family. While everyone's situation was unique, Beca's certainly was more complex. But all the attributes needed were in place – love, want, trust, and the means to provide for another human. She just had to keep an eye on her work commitments to make sure she was a mother in the truest sense of the word – not an absent one. Now that she had things worked out in her mind, Beca was excited to talk to Chloe and to move forward with plans to start a family.

As she headed home Monday afternoon, Beca stopped by a florist and picked up a bundle of blue and pink carnations. Her anticipation to Chloe's response was pure elation as she knew how badly her wife wanted a baby. And now that she had her mind sorted out, she wanted a child, too. She parked in the circular driveway in front of their house and bound up the steps. Pausing for a moment, she took in the grand entrance – the incredibly tall, double doors which she later found that Chloe had special ordered from Italy. "Italy," she muttered. "How do you even think of ordering doors from overseas?" Her life was so surreal.

"Chloe? Babe! I'm home." She called out to her wife as she tossed her bags on the living room couch and went in search of the redhead with flowers in hand. Strangely enough, Chloe was nowhere to be found downstairs or out in the pool area. Beca took the stairs up to their room two at a time and saw her wife laying on their bed. She took a flying leap and landed next to Chloe.

Before she could say anything, Beca realized that her happy-go-lucky-redheaded-partner-for-life was sobbing. Her heart dropped as she immediately lay next Chloe and wrapped her arms around her shoulders, bringing her wife tightly into her body. The redhead was weeping so hard that Beca wasn't going to try to question what was wrong. She just cooed and comforted Chloe the best she could. "I'm right here Bug. I'm right here. It's going to be okay."

After a while, Chloe was able to calm down at least to a point where she wasn't gasping for air. "My nose is all runny and snotty. Will you get me a tissue?"

Beca immediately reached over to the bedside table for the box. "What? My sleeve isn't good enough?" She hoped teasing was okay at this juncture to ease the tension.

"Gross." Chloe sat up a bit after wiping off her face and blowing her nose.

"What's wrong Bug?" The forlorn look on Chloe's face made Beca afraid the question was enough to bring on the tears again.

"It's my father. He had a heart attack."

Beca abruptly sat up and placed her arms on Chloe's shoulders. "Oh babe. Is he okay?"

The redhead snuffled as she answered. "Yes. No. I don't know. I think so. I mean, he's awake. Mom called not too long ago. She didn't know much, just that the hospital was running all these tests." She snuggled into Beca who tightened her hold on her wife. "I can't lose my papa Beca. I just can't."

"We need to go to Portland Chlo. Your mom needs you. And you need to see your father."

"Becs, you can't leave. We just got back from the interview circuit. You are in the middle of tons of projects. I can go by myself or maybe Bree can go with me." A pang of guilt went through Chloe as she remembered the court order Aubrey told her about a few days ago. But surely family trumps business, and her best friend would go.

"Absolutely not Bug. I mean you can invite Bree, but I'm going." She pulled out her phone and messaged her assistant to book two flights on the next flight to Portland. "You are my wife, and there's no way I'll let you go through this on your own."

Chloe snuffled again. "I love you Beca Mitchell. How did I ever get so lucky?"

"By loving me. I think that's what I was told not too long ago. Besides I'm the lucky one." Beca kissed the top of her wife's head. "Come on, we need to pack."

As Chloe crawled off the bed to start getting ready, she spied the flower bouquet Beca had discarded when she saw her wife's distress. Pretty things always made Chloe smile regardless of her mood, and she picked up the flowers and held them close to her nose. "Carnations always have such a fresh smell. They are pretty Grasshopper. Thanks." She carried them into the bathroom to retrieve a vase from under the sink.

After she had them arranged, she stepped back to look at them and realized something. "Beca?" She got an incoherent response. "Why are these carnations pink and blue? You never buy me pink and blue flowers." Beca kept quiet and let the wheels churn in Chloe's head. "Beca? Tell me. Does this mean what I think it means?"

Beca chuckled as she saw some of the stress about her father's situation melt from Chloe's disposition. She nodded. "We are going to have a baby?" Beca again nodded. "Oh my god." The redhead threw her arms around Beca, about knocking her over. "You have no idea how much I needed this news right now."

"I kinda think I do Bug. We have a lot to talk about, but yes – let's have a baby."

* * *

When Chloe and Beca entered the redhead's father's hospital room in Portland, they saw her mom sitting in a rather uncomfortable looking chair. Chloe's father and his bed were missing, so the redhead was slightly concerned until her mom told her that the nurses had taken him to run some more tests.

"How are you holding up Mama?"

"Better now that you are here. I love your brother and all, but I think he's more worried than he lets on. Thanks for coming girls."

Chloe and her mom talked for a while, her mother filling her in on everything the doctors had told her so far. "Apparently the heart attack was caused by a blockage. The tests they are running now are to check his valves. He's scheduled to have bypass surgery in the morning, and the doctors want to be prepared for everything they might find when they open him up."

"Well I'm here now Mama. How long has it been since you've slept? Or eaten for all that matters?" Her mom's eyes were bleary and posture sagged even further at the questions.

"Mrs. Beale, how about I take you home? You can have a bite to eat and sleep some. Chloe can let me know what the doctors say. I promise I'll bring you back once you are rested."

Chloe's mom didn't argue, just elicited a promise from her daughter to let them know as soon as the doctors came in. Beca gave her wife a kiss and left her to wait for her father's return.

* * *

Beca moved to a room in the house far away from where Mrs. Beale was sleeping and called Chloe. "Hey babe… she's exhausted, but fine… She claimed she was too tired to eat, but I got some soup down her. She had fallen asleep on the way over here and when we got her to her room and changed into her night gown, she was out like a light." Beca learned that Mr. Beale was back in the room, but the doctors hadn't made their rounds yet. He was still asleep so didn't know that Chloe was there.

"I love you Chloe. Everything's going to be okay. Call when you hear anything… I'll let you know when we are headed back up there… you're hungry? Shit Chloe, order delivery or see if the cafeteria will send up a tray. There's no telling how long your mom will sleep… okay. I love you. Bye."

Several hours later, a fatigued but better rested Mrs. Beale emerged from her bedroom. She had showered and changed clothes but still looked dog-tired with her blood-shot eyes. Beca got out a dish of lasagna she had been keeping warm in the oven, scooped out servings for them both and put one of the plates in front of her mother-in-law.

"I figured you needed something in your body a little more substantial than soup, and nobody can resist my lasagna." Beca laughed as she poured Mrs. Beale some tea.

"I slept long enough for you to make this?" True to Beca's words, she couldn't resist the spicy tomato smell and began to eat some of the steaming pasta dish.

"Yup. It didn't hurt that you had most of the ingredients I use, too. We should have plenty of left overs. I can take some up to the hospital and freeze the rest."

"Have you heard from Chloe?"

"Apparently the heart specialist got tied up with an emergency surgery. The PA came by and said the surgeon would come by the room after he got done. So, we don't know anything new."

* * *

Once the women had finished their meals, Beca packed up some of the lasagna to take to the hospital. When they walked into Mr. Beale's room, he was actually propped up in his bed, talking and laughing with his daughter. His face was ghastly pale, but he was in good spirits and enjoying his daughter's visit.

"Look who came to see me hon. Had I known having a heart attack would get our daughter and her lovely wife here, I would have had one months ago."

Chloe's eyes widened in shock. "Papa, that's NOT funny."

"What's that I smell?" Mr. Beale started sniffing the room until he focused in on the food Beca had brought. "I'm starving. What's for dinner?"

"Nothing for you Papa." Chloe jokingly swatted her father's outstretched hands. "You are having surgery in the morning. The nurses have already cut you off from food and liquids. Apparently, my wife brought  _me_  some of her unbelievable lasagna."

The friendly family banter was interrupted by a knock on the door. The doctor came in and introduced himself to Chloe and Beca. He explained that in addition to the blockage for which they had already planned the operation, Mr. Beale had a leaky valve. He descripted the options on valve replacement and discussed tomorrow's surgery. "I guess I will be seeing you first thing in the morning Mr. Beale. Try to get a good night's rest. It's going to be a long day."

After the doctor left, Chloe began to tease her dad. "Papa, I can't believe you decided to go with a boring mechanical valve. I think a bovine valve would have suited you." She mooed like a cow.

He laughed and then oinked. "Really? I think porcine is more up my alley." He had chosen the mechanical valve because it would last longer despite requiring him to take blood thinners. He was going to be on blood thinners because of the blockages anyway, so the choice was a no-brainer. But making jokes about animal parts with his daughter helped keep his mind off things.

Chloe insisted on sleeping in the room with her father, again sending her mother home to get some additional rest. The toll the stress was taking on her mother was quite evident, and as the doctor said, the next day would be long.

* * *

Beca and Mrs. Beale showed up about a half an hour before they were to take Mr. Beale up to surgery. Fred, Chloe's brother, was there as well. Despite what her mom had said the day before, he seemed to be okay with things. Maybe he had time to adjust or had realized that he needed to be strong for his parents. Regardless, he was there which is what counted.

The surgery was expected to take upwards of five or six hours. The family said their goodbyes in the room then all stood around wondering what to do during that time. Beca went to the nurses' desk and arranged a private waiting room outside the surgery area which would be much more comfortable than the crowded hospital room. There were a couple of recliners, a couch, and a television which provided much more space for everyone to wait.

At one point, Fred took his mom down to the cafeteria to get some coffee and to give her a break from the room. Chloe was curled up on the couch next to Beca. "Should we tell them?"

"Tell them what Bug?" Beca absentmindedly twirled her wife's hair around her fingers.

"About the baby."

"Hmmm," Beca said non-committedly. She needed to choose her words wisely so as to not hurt her wife's fragile feelings. "I am not sure right now is appropriate, with your dad's condition and all."

"What about Fred? I mean we are here. He's here. We can ask him about… you know."

Beca chuckled. "You are just dying to tell someone, aren't you?"

"I've already talked to Aubrey." Chloe giggled.

"Of course, you have. I suppose we can talk to Fred, but only if you swear him to secrecy. I want to make sure everything goes smoothly, and we actually have a baby to tell everyone about." Fortunately, this was enough to satisfy Chloe's urge to share about wanting to have a child. And it also distracted her mind about her father.

* * *

Mr. Beale's surgery was a success. They ended up doing a double by-pass along with the valve replacement. The doctor assured the family that sometimes when they open someone up, more becomes visible and needs to be corrected. Since he wouldn't be waking up anytime soon and Mrs. Beale was much better rested, she sent her kids home, insisting she'd spend the night.

Fred decided to sleep at his parent's house with the women and come back to the hospital in the morning with his sister and sister-in-law. On the way home, Beca stopped and picked up a couple of pizzas which was a no-brainer order since nobody had the energy to really think about what they wanted to eat.

At the house, the pizza boxes were spread out on the table, and the trio were refueling their tired bodies. "Fred, there's something Beca and I want to share with you. But you can't tell anyone. I mean not a soul."

"Easy enough. What? You guys are pregnant?" Fred laughed at his joke.

"No, but we want to be," Chloe said in a matter of fact fashion. "And we want you to be the father."

Fred's face blanched as he quickly ran from the table and into the half-bath off the living room. Beca looked at Chloe in surprise as they could hear her brother getting sick. After a few minutes, he came out still pale as a ghost and calmly sat back down.

"Sis, I love you, but dude, NO, she's your WIFE. I can't."

Chloe wrinkled her forehead in confusion. "Fred! Yes you can. You have no idea what it would mean to us."

Fred was empathically shaking his head back and forth, refusing to look in Beca's direction. When Beca realized what Chloe's brother was concerned about, she started laughing. "Fred! Hey bro, look at me." He nervously looked her way. "We aren't asking you to have sex with me. Dude you just, you know, do your thing in a cup, and the doctors do the rest."

Slowly, the color returned to Fred's face then a blush slowly crept up. "Thank god. No offense Beca. You are hot and all, but you're my sister's wife."

Now that things were cleared up slightly and Fred could relax, Chloe explained that they wanted to use Beca's eggs and she'd carry the baby. If he agreed to help, then the child would be biologically connected to both of them. "It will all be spelled out legally. We'll pay for you to get your own lawyer so both sides have separate representation. Once the deed is done, you'll just be Uncle Fred."

After more conversation, Fred agreed to be the donor. After given a choice, he decided he'd like to fly down to Atlanta to take care of the legal side of the arrangement. "I always enjoy spending time with my sis." Both women threatened him with his life if he told anyone, and he agreed.

The Mitchell family was going to be expanded by one!


	13. Getting Pregnant

After Chloe's father was well enough to go home, the couple stayed a few extra days making sure that her mom was taken care of. The church had set up a meal calendar where different members would bring by food, and Beca made arrangements for house cleaning and yard services. All too soon, Chloe was telling her parents goodbye and promising to visit a lot more frequently.

On the way to the airport, Chloe's phone started buzzing.

[Aubrey: How's your dad?]  
[Chloe: Better than expected. Beca and I are headed to the airport now]  
[Aubrey: I'm sure you both are relieved]  
[Aubrey: Yeah, her assistant gave me the schedule]  
[Aubrey: I hate to do this to you, but I need Beca to come to the studio first thing in the morning]  
[Chloe: ?]  
[Aubrey: It's about the court order. Nothing bad, I just need to let her in on what's going on]  
[Chloe: Honestly I had forgotten about it. But sure I'll make sure she comes in]  
[Chloe: Love you]  
[Aubrey: You, too. Safe trip]

Beca glanced over at her wife. "Aubrey?" Chloe nodded. "Things okay?"

"Yup, she just needs you to come in first thing tomorrow." Beca screwed up her face but agreed to the strange request.

* * *

True to her word, Beca was at the studio bright and early, actually before anyone else. The quiet helped her to get caught up on e-mails which had piled up when she was in Oregon. When Aubrey arrived and got settled, she buzzed Beca and asked her to come to her office. "Because mine has a better view than yours. That's why midget." Theo was waiting in the lawyer's office as well.

"Wow, the welcome wagon. Am I getting fired?" Beca waggled her head back and forth trying to be silly.

After they all took their seats, both Theo and Aubrey checked up on Chloe's father again to make sure things were okay. Then, Aubrey handed the court order to Beca and gave her time to read it. "What the fuck! This is dated over a week ago. Why wasn't I informed?"

"Chill Beca, you've kinda had a lot going on. You had just gotten back from all those interviews, Chloe's dad had surgery. Come on. What kind of friends are we if we had piled this on you, too? Besides, I'm your attorney, and this is what you pay me for."

Beca re-read the court order. "Is this thing serious?"

Theo fielded that question. "I know the lead producer of this studio. She promised she didn't know anything. It seemed as though a junior associate of the firm representing the studio got his head up his ass and didn't consult with anybody. Apparently he has a big head because his grandfather is a founder of the firm, and his father is partner."

"But this is signed by a judge! Isn't binding? Do we really have to change our logo and all the stuff this letter says?" Beca had stood up and was pacing around the office.

"Chill Becs." Aubrey went to her friend and physically placed her back in the chair. "This is where things get bizarre. The judge is this kid's uncle. He didn't even read the damned order. He took one look at the bottle of scotch his nephew brought him, saw the law firm letter head and signed. Welcome to the good old boy system."

"That's fucked up." Beca's clenched jaw and crossed arms expressed her aggravation clearly as her face wore a scowl that matched her mood.

"I heard back from my friend Julia yesterday. She called the law firm and threatened to pull their business and black ball them in the music industry unless the kid was fired. Let's just say she got what she wanted."

"Okay but what about the order. It's kind of legal since it's signed by a judge."

Aubrey softened her face to try to comfort her friend. "It's kinda not. Funny thing is, Julia told us that she spoke to Guetta's agent, and they were willing to immediately rescind the order if you agreed to do two songs with him."

"What the hell? Fuck no. That's blackmail."

Theo chuckled. "Aubrey told her something along the lines of 'how about you rescind the order, and we don't sue your ass and try to get the judge disbarred for signing an illegal order?'" This made Beca laugh. "We finally came to the agreement that they would immediately rescind the letter if you would at least consider working with Guetta."

"Yeah I'll  _think_ about it. But that don't mean shit."

* * *

Aubrey arranged for two Family Law attorneys from different firms to help Beca and Chloe draw up known donor paperwork. The second attorney for Fred was a formality to ensure no conflict of interested existed. Chloe's brother was going to be Uncle Fred, and their child would never know differently unless all three parties agreed.

As soon as they got home from Portland, Chloe and Beca visited a fertility clinic to start the process of ensuring that both women were healthy enough to go through the IVF process. After copious amounts of blood work and other tests, the fertility doctor pronounced them ready to start the process.

Fred was immediately flown down to complete the paperwork and donate. Since Beca and Chloe had lived together for so long, their cycles were already matched up. When Chloe got her next period, she was insanely exited that they were about to begin their journey.

"Babe, I'm excited, too. And scared. Remember we may have to go through several rounds to make this work. I don't want you to be disappointed if it doesn't work the first time."

"Beca, it has to work. It's going to work! I can feel it." Chloe was bubbling over with joy.

"Look at me. Think about Aubrey a minute. She's just as healthy as you. She and Stacie are on their third round of IUI. She's been devastated each time the insemination didn't take." Their friends had decided to go with an anonymous donor and were using inter-uterine injections first which is less invasive than IVF.

Chloe's smile dropped a little bit. "You're right. Aubrey and Stacie both have been struggling with this process. Bree told me they are trying IUI one more time before moving to IVF. Let's hope this time takes for them." While she was sad for her best friend, Chloe was still excited to start the process for themselves.

* * *

"FUCK!" Beca was pissed at hell. "I am so tired of getting these injections." The hormones she'd been taking were really doing a number on her system emotionally. "I can't wait for these injections to be over and my hormones to get back to normal. Then we get to deal with yours for who knows how long."

Chloe giggled as she wiped Beca's hip and put a cartoon bandage over the site. The women were doing their own injections at home to stimulate Beca's ovaries to produce multiple follicles. "I'm sorry babe. I know it sucks."

"You don't know shit Chloe. I'm a damned pincushion."

Chloe wasn't offended by her wife's outbursts as she knew it had to do with the hormones and frustrations at the process. "Just think, it'll be over soon."

"Yeah, after they put me to sleep and push this huge bore needle into my gut to suck out baby seeds from my ovaries." She glanced over at her wife who didn't have a retort for that. She suddenly felt guilty for snapping at her wife. "I'm sorry babe. Really. Just think though – when you are pregnant, you'll get all jacked up with your hormones. And I'll wait on you hand and foot."

"I'm counting on it."

After a few daily visits to the fertility clinic to have her ovaries scanned, the fertility specialist pronounced it time for the trigger injection to force Beca's body to ovulate. The egg retrieval procedure was scheduled for a few days later.

When Beca woke up from her procedure, she learned that twelve eggs had been retrieved and where in the process of being fertilized. Chloe had to tell her this multiple times since her wife was still out of it from the anesthesia. With the help from one of the orderlies, she got Beca loaded into her car, and they headed home where Stacie was waiting to help get Beca upstairs and into bed.

Several days later, the couple returned to the clinic to learn that eight of their twelve eggs had turned into viable embryos. The decision was made to transfer three on the first attempt and freeze the others for later.

* * *

_Two weeks later_

Aubrey and Stacie had completed their third cycle of IUI as Chloe and Beca finished their first IVF. As the timing worked out, the college friends were to have their final blood test at the fertility clinic they both went to on the same day. They made their appointments at the same time and went in together. Their specialist knew they were best friends as well as each other's support system. Chloe had been with Aubrey the two previous times she had found out their procedure didn't work.

The doctor came into the room and took a seat on the rolling stool. "Ladies, I'm not sure I've ever had this situation before where two women are in the same room waiting on blood test results. I have to admit that I was wary about it." Aubrey and Chloe looked at each other and took a death grip on each other's hand. "Fortunately, there is no bad news today. Both of your procedures took. You are officially four weeks pregnant."

Aubrey immediately burst into tears while Chloe was grinning from ear to ear. "Bree, didn't you hear him? No bad news. You are going to have a baby. WE are going to have babies. Shhhh sweetie, don't be sad."

"I'm…. not sad." The blonde choked out. "I'm happy."

The doctor congratulated both women and left them to process their emotions. The friends sat silently for a while, giving Aubrey time to collect herself. They then discussed how to tell their wives. "Beca wants me to come to the studio as soon as I leave here. Is Stacie at work?" Aubrey nodded. "Maybe it's best that we do this separately this time. I know how stressed you and Stacie have been through the entire process. We can get together in a few days to celebrate."

Aubrey then expressed her fears about the pregnancy not taking. They discussed not telling anyone other than their wives until after their first trimester. "That way, if something happens – which it's not going to – you don't have to go through talking to them again." The women agreed that they could share the good news about both positive tests with their spouses, but neither of them would tell anyone else.

* * *

Aubrey went home to wait for Stacie while Chloe went to 22-Records. Luckily Beca was in her office working on some paperwork and not in studio with an artist. When the redhead walked in her door, Beca's face broke out into a smile. Chloe closed the door which caused Beca to be concerned about the results of the blood test.

"Well?" To be honest, Beca wasn't recording or working in a studio because she couldn't concentrate. She could think of nothing but her wife at the doctor's office. Since Aubrey was getting her results at the same time, Chloe insisted that Beca go to work.

Chloe sat on the office sofa and gave a big sigh. The brunette came from around her desk and put her arm around the redhead's shoulders. "It's okay babe. We have five more embryos. We can try again next month."

As hard as Chloe tried to keep a straight face, she couldn't. "Next month? Nope. We don't have to. IT TOOK. I'M PREGNANT."

"What?" Beca leapt up and began to dance around the room. She ran over to her wife, grabbed her face with both hands and kissed her. "Really?"

"Yup." Chloe was tickled that Beca was much more animated than she had imagined she would be.

"Oh baby, that's wonderful. I'm so happy for us!" She plopped back down on the couch. "What about Aubrey?"

Chloe smiled even bigger as she nodded her head. "She's pregnant, too."

Beca shook her head. "Wow! Does Stacie know? We need to go to dinner to celebrate."

"Stacie is still at work. Bree and I decided that this was going to be a night with just our wives. We made dinner plans for tomorrow."

"I gotta tell Theo. Did you call your parents?" The producer's exhilaration was causing her to talk a hundred miles an hour.

"No! We can't tell anyone until after the first trimester." Chloe explained that waiting the two additional months would be safer to ensure the pregnancy was viable.

"But we can start shopping, right?" Chloe struck down that idea, too, as well much to Beca's surprise claiming that she didn't want to do anything until after their first ultra-sound. "When's that?"

"In four weeks."

"I can deal with that."

* * *

"Becaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Chloe's voice called out from upstairs. She had been exhausted when she came home from work and immediately went to take a nap. Beca had ordered a pizza for dinner since she wasn't sure if her wife would be up to eating and left-over pizza was the bomb for breakfast.

She closed the box lid and rushed up the stairs to find her wife in the bathroom sitting next to the toilet. Beca immediately wet a washrag and began to wipe her wife's face and neck. "What can I do baby?"

"You can get rid of that god-awful smelling food downstairs," Chloe growled. "I can smell the foulness all the way up here, and it's making me sick?"

"Babe, I just ordered pizza." Beca was confused since pizza was one of their favorite take out foods.

"It reeks Becs. Get rid of it." The redhead was snappy as she lay her head against the toilet. Beca went to help her back to the bed. "NO! Get rid of the smell. And I don't mean in the trash. I mean take it outside, all the way outside."

Beca couldn't help but to snicker to herself as she raced down to the kitchen to take the pizza outside to the garbage. She shoved as much as she could in her mouth as she could then went back up to her wife.

As she leaned down to kiss her wife and help her up, Chloe shoved her in the chest. "God damn it Beca. What part of I hate that smell do you not understand? Brush your nasty teeth." Only after Beca complied did Chloe allow her to be helped back to bed.

"Can I get you anything babe?" She had learned to keep crackers by the bedside and had moved a dorm sized refrigerator upstairs for coconut water and other drinks her wife could tolerate to keep her hydrated. However, Beca got the feeling that what Chloe would be willing to eat or drink would be changing on a daily basis for the next few months.

"Cuddle with me?" Chloe's forlorn voice was pitiful so Beca quickly crawled into bed and wrapped herself around her wife who was curled up. "I'm sorry I yelled at you Grasshopper. Today wasn't a good day, and it's not like I can take it out on my students. And I'm sorry I made you throw away your pizza."

"Bug, I love you. Just tell me what I can do to make things better for you."

"Don't leave me?"

"That's one thing I can promise."

Chloe was so exhausted that she was soon asleep. Beca was still starving so she went downstairs and make her a cheese sandwich, something she thought might not have much odor two it so as to not trigger her wife's nausea. She didn't want to go to her studio to work in case Chloe woke up and needed her. So after answering a few e-mails, she went back upstairs and snuggled with Chloe and fell asleep.

* * *

"Beca. Beca?" Chloe was gently shaking her wife. "Becs wake up."

Beca grunted as she realized Chloe was talking to her. "Mmm, am I late for work? What time is it?"

"It's 3 am Beca."

"Go back to sleep Chlo."

"Becs I'm hungry."

"We have food in the fridge babe."

"No Becs. We don't have what I want."

Slowly Beca was coming to her senses and realized Chloe was asking her to make a cravings run. "What do you and the baby want sweetie?" Sometimes she wished the fetus would put in his or her order the day before.

"Pickles."

"We have pickles."

"No Grasshopper. I want Famous Dave's Signature Spicy Pickle Spears. They sell them at the Whole Foods that's open 24 hours. And almond butter with honey. I don't remember the brand but it has a little picture of an almond on the jar. Starts with a J or something. Make sure it's the kind with honey."

Beca wasn't going to mention that particular Whole Foods was a forty-minute drive away. Chances were Chloe could be asleep when she got back, but experience told Beca that she'd be wise to wake her wife when she got back. Normally when Chloe got specific cravings, they didn't go away. Beca had stocked up on things she had read that women often crave, including probably twenty pints of Chloe's favorite ice cream in different flavors. But sometimes the redhead woke up with dreadfully specific things in mind.

* * *

The songwriting gave her best friend a call the next day. "Hey Stace." Beca badly needed an afternoon with her best friend. "You working Saturday?"

"No, thank goodness. You?"

"No! Want to escape while our wives are at Girls' Day?"

Both brunettes were excited to take a break from their routines to commiserate with each other about the hormones that were flooding their wives' bodies.

Stacie slid two shot on the table along with the two beers. Neither spoke until the tequila was gone. "How's your wifezilla?" Stacie laughed.

"You know I love Chloe right? I can handle the mood swings and the hormones. But the cravings? Oh god. She wants the strangest stuff. Specific. Weird part is, that she knows exactly what store carries it. I'm sure she could tell me the aisle, too. It's like her brain researches it in her sleep."

Stacie took a sip of her beer. "I know what you mean bud. Bree is the same way. I'd do anything for woman. I am ready for not sleeping when the baby gets here, but I didn't know how little sleep I'd get when my wife gets her cravings."

"The price we pay for love!" Beca laughed as she and Stacie shared more stories of their wives' pregnancies. "Our first ultra-sound went well last week. Three more weeks until we can tell people the happy news."

"Yeah Aubrey is so scared about jinxing the pregnancy. You guys going to find out the gender ahead of time?"

"Chlo asked me that last night. So I guess we'll find out after they decide today. It doesn't matter to me either way."

Stacie pursed her lips. "I kinda want to know. Aubrey has two decoration books going already – one for a girl's room and one for a boy's room. I tried to tell her that we can always go gender neutral. But I don't want her to stress so much. If we find out, then she can decorate appropriately, pick names, and all that jazz."

"Now that you put it that way, I understand. I'm sure Chloe will agree. Lord knows we have to do everything the same." Not in the mood to drink a lot, Beca was nursing her beer. "Hey I hear you are taking the lieutenant's exam."

Stacie grinned sheepishly. "I told you I wasn't finished with APD yet. My captain wants me to do it. So I've been spending a lot of time studying. I need to get the exam out of the way before the baby gets here."

* * *

The first trimester mark came and passed without incident. Chloe and Aubrey were seeing the same obstetrician and each woman got a clean bill of health as did both fetuses. The women's doctors encouraged them to share their pregnancy with friends and family so that their loved ones could enjoy the experience along with them.

The two couples went out that night to celebrate the milestone and talk about how to share the news with people. After the appointment which neither Beca nor Stacie could attend for totally fluke reasons, much to their dismay, Aubrey and Chloe had discussed ways to tell people. They also had to come up with a way to let their wives know the gender of their respective babies.

The pregnant women each pulled a picture out of their purse and laid it face down in front her wife. Stacie and Beca turned over the picture at the same time to see a clothes line with two large pink t-shirts pinned to the line, each with a smaller shirt pinned in between. The small shirt on Beca's picture was a soft blue while the small shirt on Stacie's was pink.

Both brunette's reached over and snatched the other's pictures, each woman already crying at the news. Beca looked at Chloe. "We're having a boy?" The redhead nodded. Stacie had her arms around Aubrey and both were crying, over joyed they were having a girl. Beca traced the words printed on the picture.  _Baby Boy Mitchell due April 3._

"I told Aubrey my parents were delighted I wanted to change my name. She's going to make an appointment with our family lawyer who we used for the donor to do the paperwork."

Stacie reached back over and grabbed the picture again. "I didn't even catch that. Wow – you are going to become a Mitchell? That's awesome." A curious look crossed Stacie's mind then she went back to chatting with her wife and their friends about the babies.

Each woman had a stack of pictures printed where they share with their local friends. For their families who didn't live local, plans were made to FaceTime with them when they got home. After their families and close friends were told, then the next day, posts would go up on their personal social media as well as Beca's public social media. Chloe and Beca had talked about how the news would probably get out anyway, they'd just as soon be the ones to release it.

The next morning, Aubrey and Beca went into work earlier together, and they each put a picture on all of the desks of their co-workers and posted then on the bulletin board in the break rooms. Mid-morning a huge bouquet of flowers arrived for Aubrey from Stacie, and about the same time, Beca got a message with Chloe's face peeking around the blossoms she had received at school from the shorter of the brunette friends.

* * *

As luck would have it, other than bouts of morning sickness, neither Aubrey nor Chloe had complications with their pregnancies. Neither of their wives missed any additional doctor appointments and things were going smoothly. Both pregnant moms spent their Saturday girls' night planning for baby rooms and shopping. Beca insisted that Aubrey and Stacie also have a baby room at their house, too. When Aubrey expressed her concerns to her best friend, Chloe told her either Aubrey could decorate or Chloe would because her god-daughter would have a room at their house. "Actually Bree, I have an idea that I think will be adorable. But only if you and Stacie agree."

Theo had hired junior producer to temporarily take some of the weight off Beca's plate. Beca would always have the final say in work which included her name, but for the initial run throughs and grunt work to be done was a great time saver. Beca always came in on Saturday mornings when Chloe and Aubrey were out but would leave by two pm. She also spent Sundays at home with Chloe.

Beca and Stacie had gone out with their wives one Saturday morning for the final decision on the big furniture such as cribs, rocking chairs, and changing tables. Beca decided she wanted a challenge and had the items delivered unassembled. She'd been feeling like she hadn't helped much in the whole process and wanted to make sure she was pulling her weight in the whole decorating the baby room bit.

She had read through the instructions to putting the crib together and had all the tools laid out and pieces organized. She got one side assembled and moved it aside to finish the other. Once all the sides were complete, she figured out a way to arrange them so she could affix them together properly. She had a side and an end balanced together and reached over to grab her screwdriver which was a little out of reach.

Suddenly her hand slipped and the larger rail fell and slammed into her wrist, the one she had surgery on while in the police department. An intense pain shot up her arm and into her elbow. She screwed her eyes shut. "Fuck. FUCK." After the pain subsided a bit, she felt liquid oozing down her arm. She looked down and saw blood pooling on the floor.

"Chloe. CHLOE. CHLOE!" Beca was freaking out, frozen and unsure what to do. When her wife came shuffling in as fast as her pregnant body would allow, she took one look at the blood and ran to the bathroom for a towel which she wrapped around Beca's arm to try to stop the bleeding.

"Baby? What happened? Did you cut yourself?"

Tears were streaming down Beca's face. "I don't know Bug. J-j-just the side fell against my wrist and fuck, it hurts. Chlo, it hurts."


	14. Igor and Baby Stuff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick reminder that Beca had a wrist injury which required plate and screws in Garbage Collector when she worked for the police department.

 

Chloe looked at the side of the crib and didn't see any sharp metal or even any blood on the wood. "We need to get ice on this, and I don't think I can keep coming up and down these stairs." She helped Beca to her feet and guided her downstairs. When they made it to the kitchen, Chloe took off the first towel to see if she could clean off some blood and wrap a clean cloth around Beca's wrist.

As she did, she saw something protruding from Beca's wrist. She wet a rag and gently dabbed around the object. "Grasshopper?" Beca wasn't looking as she was busy trying to keep from being sick. "Becs, there's metal sticking out of your wrist. I think that's one of your screws." She wrapped a clean cloth around Beca's wrist and put an ice pack on it to help with the pain. After she got Beca comfortably seated, Chloe called the orthopedic surgeon who worked on Beca's wrist back when received the original injury in the Atlanta Police Department.

"Damn it, your doctor is no longer practicing. The office is willing to see you immediately, but I think we should call your regular doctor and get a referral to a different specialist. I want to make sure we get someone we can trust." Chloe made a few phone calls. Despite it being late Saturday afternoon, Beca's regular doctor pulled some strings to have one of the city's best orthopedic surgeons meet them a nearby hospital. Beca would need to be seen today, and her regular doctor didn't want to chance her being seen by an on-call doctor.

* * *

By the time Dr. Washington showed up, the hospital had already had the results of the x-ray and CT scan waiting. She had called ahead to order the tests since she knew what she'd need when she arrived. There was no reason to make Beca wait at the hospital until she arrived. After examining the films, Dr. Washington went to talk to Beca and Chloe. "Hi Ms. Mitchell, I'm Dr. Washington." She extended her hand to Beca's good right hand. She then went to shake Chloe's hand. "Ms. …?" She asked questioningly.

"Mrs. Mitchell. I'm Beca's wife. Have you looked at the films?"

"I have." The doctor pulled up the electronic images of both the x-ray and CT scan. "From what I understand, Beca, you had a severe break of your distal radius that required a plate and screws for it to heal."

"Yeah, several years ago." Beca confirmed. "A jack ass was trying to hit a homerun with my head and a baseball bat." Beca was pissed off at that situation all over again. "Doc told me that we could leave the metal in unless the screws started to cause problems."

"Exactly." Dr. Washington pointed to a small object on the x-ray. "That's one of the screws which has worked its way out of the plate. What do you do for work?"

"I'm a music producer, and I write and sometimes sing. I use my wrist a lot when I mix and when I play the guitar. This is my dominant hand."

"Well the screws could have been working their way out for quite some time. That's what you see protruding."

"The final straw was putting together a baby crib today. One of the sides fell and hit my wrist. I guess that's what shoved the screw through my skin."

"Baby crib? Are congratulations in order?" She smiled, trying to warm the room some from the gloom coming from the producer. Chloe gave the doctor a sheepish smile and waved. "When are you due?"

After a short discussion about Chloe's pregnancy which eased the tension a bit, Dr. Washington turned her attention back to the real patient. "Do you understand what this means Beca?"

"I have to have another surgery, huh? Fuck."

"This one won't be as bad as the last. We'll take out the metal and use stiches inside your skin which will dissolve on their own. Outside, we'll use staples because they are sturdier. You'll have a cast but only for about two weeks this time. We want to make sure that your flesh heals well."

Beca traced the scar on her arm. "So Igor gets bigger…" She chuckled.

The doctor laughed. "You named your scar?" Beca nodded.

"So when does this surgery happen?"

Dr. Washington pulled out a tablet and punched up a calendar. "As soon as possible. The longer your wrist stays an open would like this, the more susceptible you are to infection. I know it's late, but there's an OR opening up within the hour. I'd like to do it tonight."

Beca looked at Chloe who could tell the singer was fighting back tears. She put her hand on Beca's shoulder. "It's going to be okay Grasshopper. Let's just get it over with."

"Theo is going to kill me."

* * *

Beca was quickly prepped for surgery and taken back. Because things were happening so late, Dr. Washington wanted Beca admitted at least overnight for observation. This would mean Chloe could have a day to adjust and not have to look after Beca immediately after surgery. After the redhead finished the admissions paperwork, she called Aubrey.

"Chlo? Are you okay?" Aubrey was concerned because it was late and they had just seen each other that afternoon.

"It's Beca; she's in surgery." Chloe gave Aubrey the short version of the story and asked her friend to come sit with her. When Aubrey arrived with Stacie in tow, they were loaded down with paper bags. Chloe gave her friends an explanation about what was happening. "What's this Bree?"

"These are my 'cravings'. Luckily they've started to wane, but Stacie thought it would be funny to track my late night hankerings by putting what was left in paper bags. Frankly I don't believe her that I asked for this stuff. Some of the combinations are pretty revolting."

Stacie piped up. "But we thought we could have some snacks while we waited."

"My god, you even dated the bags." Chloe laughed as she dumped the bags out one at a time on the visitor's couch in Beca's room. "I swear you and Beca are two peas in a pod. I'm glad she didn't this to me. I'm sure I'd be horrified." While some of the combinations were rather odd, the foods themselves individually were pretty tasty. Having her two friends with her kept Chloe's mind from worrying about her wife who was in surgery.

After a few hours, Dr. Washington came in to let Chloe know that everything had gone well. "We'll x-ray her wrist tomorrow to make sure everything is in place, then she can go home. On Monday, make a two-week follow-up with my office and we'll take that cast off. She's still in recovery right now but should be up here within the hour."

When Chloe thanked the doctor, Aubrey could tell her best friend was quite relieved that her wife made it through surgery with no complications. "I'm calling the baby place Monday and hiring someone to come out to assemble the furniture. I can't take any more chances with her trying to prove how bad-ass she is."

"This incident with the screws would have happened eventually Chloe. She uses her hands and wrists a lot with her production and when she plays the guitar." Aubrey was trying to soothe Chloe by being sensible. "The crib was just the final straw. Stacie and I will run out there tomorrow to clean everything up and hide her tools in case she tries again."

Aubrey and Stacie stayed until Beca was back safely in the room. While she wasn't fully awake, she did recognize her friends and was aware that she had surgery. When she started waving her cast around threatening to whack the one of them who got her wife pregnant, they decided that it was time for them to go.

* * *

The next afternoon, Beca was cleared to leave the hospital. She was scrunched up against the passenger side door of her truck as Chloe drove him. While her pouting was reasonable, Chloe found it difficult to not tease her. "It's going to be okay Bug. The cast comes off and the staples come out in two weeks."

"I can't believe I have to go through this again. I won't be able to do actually production work, I can't play any instruments, nothing. What am I supposed to do? We are so swamped at work, and Theo has already hired a junior producer in preparation for when I take paternity leave."

Chloe reached over and tugged on Beca's shirt sleeve to get her to lean more towards her. "Becs, it's going to be okay. Want to hear a funny story?" Beca looked at her wife and smiled. She nodded for the redhead to continue. "When Bree and Stace came to the hospital last night, they brought bags full of the late night craving combinations Bree had asked for. I'm sure Aubrey was mortified, but she laughed as we went through and munched on all the different snacks." Chloe squeezed her wife's leg. "I'm glad you didn't do that to me!"

A chortling sound came from the passenger seat. As Chloe looked over, she saw Beca doing her best to stifle her laughing as she turned her head towards the window. "Ummm babe, don't look in the outside refrigerator. That's where all your bags are. Stacie and I kinda planned to use them during our baby shower."

The redhead acted like she was offended, but they did get a good kick out of the joke. "Let's keep them out there. I think that would be a good baby shower game."

* * *

Despite having the new cast and Chloe doing everything in her power to keep Beca home, the producer insisted on going to work. "Well if you insist on going in, I'm driving you. I'll drop you off on my way to school and pick you up." Secretly she enjoyed having the extra time with her wife during the drive.

At the studio, Theo was sympathetic about Beca's weekend surgery and temporary setback. They decided that she could spend a few days shadowing the new junior producer, Tony, who was working with a newer artist. This would allow Beca to learn his style as well as to make adjustments that fall in line with the 22-Records way of doing things.

One of the interns was sent out to pick up lunch for the studio at the taco joint down the street. Beca was waiting for the food in Theo's office. She pulled up the old set of blueprints which he had rolled up on a shelf and began examining some of the smaller out-buildings they had yet to use.

"Hey Theo, remember what I brought up when we were making plans for the studio? This building here?" She pointed to a specific place. "With both Chloe and Aubrey pregnant, how do you feel about moving forward with those plans? I don't mind funding the project myself."

Beca's business partner came over to look at where she was pointing. "Honestly I think it should be a studio expense. Eventually we'll be able to offer use as an employee benefit as well as for our artists."

"I'll call the architect and see when they can send someone over. Oh, and from what I've observed today, Tony is going to be a great addition to our team. I don't mind shadowing him like how I have been though, especially while I have this." She gestured in the air with her cast.

As if remembering something previously forgotten, Theo suddenly checked his calendar. "Damn, I forgot Cynthia Rose is going to be here tomorrow. I had assumed she'd stay out with you and Chloe. With all of your wrist drama, do you want me to put her up in a hotel instead?"

"CR? Why is she coming in? No, she can stay at our house. Chloe would never forgive me otherwise. Catch me up with what she has going on. I know you worked with her a lot when I was on my honeymoon."

Theo grinned as he pulled out a file folder out of his cabinet and navigated to a folder on his computer. "Know that drawer of USB drives that you used to have, well probably still have from college and beyond with your songs? CR has a collection that I would say comes pretty darned close to yours. She has amazing talent with writing songs as well as singing. PLUS she wants to produce." Theo located some lyrics in his paper folder and popped open a file on his computer and played a demo.

"Woah, that's some heavy talent Theo. These are all hers?" Theo nodded. "Okay so what gives?"

Theo explained that he had sent out many of her songs and demos and gotten lots of requests for her to co-write with other artists. "Tomorrow she's going to be in studio working with Machine Gun Kelly on a new song he has in mind. He also wants her to sing on the song and be in the video."

The shock was evident on Beca's face. "MGK is coming here tomorrow? To write and record with one of our artists? Are we going to produce the song?" Theo nodded his head affirmatively. The tiny producer jumped up from her chair and went around the desk to give her partner a tremendous hug. "Have I told you recently that I'm in awe of your awesome talents?"

"Nope. But thanks. There's more news, but with the little black cloud that sometimes follows you, I think I'll spread the joy out for when you need happiness." He grinned.

* * *

When Chloe came to pick her wife up from work, Beca shared the news that her college friend would be coming the next day. Of course, the redhead was ecstatic. "The middle room upstairs can stay a guest room for now. We'll put her there rather than out in the pool house. Maybe Aubrey and Stacie can come out for dinner." Chloe was happily chattering as she drove back to their home.

Because Beca wasn't up to cooking since her injury put a damper on her movement and neither wanted to clean up after take out, the couple stopped for dinner at a hole in the wall place they had discovered but the paparazzi hadn't. As they were eating, Chloe talked all about her day at work. "Oh and I talked to Bree during my conference period. We got online and decided on the rest of the decorations for the nurseries at our house."

Beca had always heard that pregnant women had a certain glow about them. As she watched her wife talk about the plans for the nurseries, she couldn't get over how beautiful Chloe was. The further along she got, the more Beca fell in love with her and her splendor.

"… so I arranged for a team to come out this weekend to finish the furniture assembly and help with the decorations – painting, wall stencils, and all that."

The brunette snapped out of her stupor. "Wait, you did what? Hired someone to come out to finish the baby's room?" Beca's face dropped as guilt filled her chest. "I feel so useless Bug. I wanted to do all that then this shit with my wrist came up. Can't it wait two weeks? I really want to pull my weight in this."

Chloe reached over and grasped her wife's hand. "It's okay Beca. Let's just get it done. Neither Aubrey nor I can be around the paint fumes anyway, and I don't want you to have to stress about things." Her radiant smile quickly eased Beca's worries as she agreed to let the team to come in and finish the rooms.

* * *

CR arrived at the studio mid-morning the next day. When Aubrey found out her friend was coming, she decided to work at 22-Records that day. The receptionist showed the artist into the lawyer's office. Aubrey squealed and ran over to give CR a hug. "I'm so glad you are here. Chloe called me last night, so Stacie and I are coming out for dinner tonight."

"Looks like you've been eating for two," CR teased as she rubbed Aubrey's belly. "Wow you are really starting to show." She paused and quickly moved her hand. "Oh, I'm so sorry Bree. That was rude of me to say, and I should have asked before touching you." Aubrey's smile was wide as she assured her friend things were okay. "How far along are you?"

"Twenty-five weeks, fifteen to go! It's getting closer!" Aubrey paused as she placed her own hand on her swell. She grabbed CR's hand and placed it under hers, guiding it to the right spot. "Feel that?"

"Is that…?" Cynthia Rose's eyes widened as she felt movement under her hand.

Aubrey nodded. "She just started kicking this week. I think my wife stays up all night some nights with her hand on my belly hoping to feel her. Stacie's going to be such a great mom."

CR asked about Chloe. Aubrey filled her in on all the news including Beca's recent set back with her wrist surgery. About that time Beca came in and greeted the artist. "I hear you are about to blow up the industry. I'm proud of you! I can't believe MGK is coming to our studio today." She gave CR a hug. "I came to let you know that his plane is late and he won't be getting here until late afternoon. Why don't you and Bree go out for lunch and catch up some more?"

* * *

Machine Gun Kelly and CR spent the rest of the week working in a studio tossing around some lyrics along with some singing. Tony stayed into the room with them in case they needed board help even though Cynthia Rose was pretty adept at the controls. On the first afternoon, she got into the booth. She started screaming, singing, yelling… sometimes it was words but most the times it wasn't. Suddenly she got a little chill below her shoulder on her upper arm. She came flying out of the booth where MGK was grinning his fool head off. 'Yeah, that's the hook,'" they both said together.

By the end of Friday, the song was pretty much where both of them wanted it to be. The artists decided to take the weekend off and get back in the booth on Monday to start laying down tracks. CR had been driving Beca to the studio every day since she got there so that Chloe wouldn't have to go out of her way, even though the redhead didn't mind. On the way home, CR asked Beca how her wrist was doing. The producer said that it seemed fine but that the next week couldn't pass quickly enough so the cast could come off.

"I like Tony Beca; he's been great this week." CR seemed nervous about what she was trying to say. Beca just waited her out. "Ummm who's going to produce this song?"

"I was wondering when this would come up." Beca gave a reassuring smile to the artist. "MGK is a fairly prolific artist. He's also exceedingly particular about who works on his song." CR was tapping her fingers nervously on the steering wheel. "He wants me to produce the song. Plus, Tony is still a junior producer with the studio. He's not going to get any credits for a while."

"But… MGK talked to Theo today. After spending all week with you and listening to your passion for all things music, he's asked if I'd let you have a hand at producing on the song as well. If things go well, he wants you to have co-producer credits."

The truck swerved before CR quickly corrected it. "He said WHAT? Seriously? Beca, it's not nice to tease."

"Straight up CR I'm sure you will do a fabulous job. Once we are done, Aubrey will re-do your contract and back date it to include production credits and the money that goes along with it."

"Oh my god. I love you! Beca, if Chloe ever divorces you, will you marry me?" Both women laughed as they pulled into the garage.

* * *

There was a flurry of activity at Beca and Chloe's house all weekend. Deliveries of baby room decorations had been arriving all week. Cynthia Rose and Beca had been taking turns sorting things and make sure they made it to the appropriate rooms. Because of the issue with the fumes, the rooms were both painted on Friday so more work could be accomplished on the weekend. Beca and Chloe had temporarily moved to the pool house. CR moved to their other room in the pool house, so she wouldn't be alone in the big house.

By Sunday late morning, everything that had arrived at the Mitchell household had been assembled and both baby rooms fully decorated. Chloe was bouncing around between the two rooms. "I can't  _wait_  for Aubrey and Stacie to get here. I hope they like how it turned out."

Beca draped her arm around the redhead. "I'm sure they will be delighted Bug."

Aubrey and Stacie arrived with lunch for all five of them. Bree wanted to race up and see the rooms, but Beca insisted she was starving. "My stomach is about to eat a hole through my spine!" So the five friends ate lunch before the grand reveal.

Once everyone was sufficiently stuffed, they meandered their way upstairs for the tour stopping at what would be Beca and Chloe's son's room first. Aubrey gasped when she saw the soft mint green walls with baby grasshopper stencils scattered about the walls. "Oh Chloe, it's so perfect. I love the colors you went with. The navy accents are perfect for the green."

"Do you know how  **hard**  it is to find baby grasshopper shit?" Beca grumbled. Many of the grasshopper toys and trinkets Chloe had bought her over the years were scattered about the shelves, and they had somehow found some incredibly adorable representations of baby grasshoppers.

After a suitably polite time of looking around, the blonde turned to her best friend and asked if they could look at the other room. While she knew what the theme would be, she was anxious to see how things turned out. If Aubrey had been pleased at Chloe's room, she was utterly elated at hers. She squealed as she grabbed Stacie's hand and dragged her around the room.

Stacie laughed at her wife's exuberance. "Mitchell, the ladybug fairy threw up all over our room," she teased.

"Geesh Conrad." Beca answered sarcastically. "Apparently baby ladybug stuff is so much more popular than baby grasshopper. The question is, do you like it?"

Aubrey came over to Beca and Chloe and pulled them both together in a hug. "We love it. I think it's special for the kid's room here to match Aunt Beca and Aunt Chloe."

"Thanks Mitchell." Stacie gave her best friend a hug. "You guys did good."

CR was standing back just enjoying the interactions. She finally asked, "Okay guys, I have to ask, what's with the grasshoppers and ladybugs? Apparently there's a story." Both Beca and Chloe showed her their tattoos and told her how that's one of the first things they had talked about the night they met.

* * *

After showing off the new rooms, Chloe went back and took pictures to send to friends and family. She also had Stacie video her and Beca showing off their completed baby room. She'd been careful about what to release on social media to Beca's fans. After the five women went back downstairs, Chloe shared her concerns with the group. Aubrey and Beca agreed that there might be an issue which could only grow.

Some packages had been showing up at the 22-Records which contained baby gifts from fans. Nothing had been opened until the studio decided what to do. Aubrey had done some research and found an organization that could use some assistance. The studio had agreed to channel all the resources they received to Rainbow Village, a center for homeless families. Rainbow Village had a wish list online, and any gifts that came to 22-Records would be forwarded to the organization for their homeless families.

Beca and Chloe planned out a one-minute video which they could put on Instagram and Twitter which encouraged their fans to donate on their behalf to Rainbow Village rather than sending gifts to Beca at the studio. Chloe included a link to the center's website and wish list. After a few hours, Chloe released the video of her and her wife in their baby's room. Beca stood over her shoulder as she did it then muttered, "if we get any cool grasshopper stuff at the studio, I'm keeping it." Chloe thwacked her arm and told her she definitely wouldn't.

As Aubrey and Chloe headed into their last trimester, all of the nursery's had been finished. Baby showers had been planned. All that was left was but to wait… and to shop for more stuff, of course. Both friends had never been happier in their lives, and the same could be said for their wives.


	15. Come Home NOW

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One scene of this chapter was pulled from the epilogue of Garbage Collector with some slight modifications.

 

Early March had arrived, and Chloe was in full pregnant mode. As her due date got closer, she was more and more nervous about being fully prepared to bring a new child into the world. Beca did all she could to assure her that they were both going to be excellent parents. However, no amount of reassurance and no amount of preparations eased the mind of the soon-to-be new mother. The redhead planned on teaching school right up until the baby was born, so the distractions of concentrating on work helped.

Since the baby was due so late in the school year, Chloe would have the rest of the semester plus all summer to stay home with the baby. With Tony proving he was capable of producing well, Beca would have a much more flexible work schedule to be home with Chloe and the baby. She could do production work from her garage after artists had recorded in the city. Or her home studio in the garage even had recording capabilities if she felt like having someone working with her there with the baby around.

Aubrey had fully transitioned to 22-Records as they had sufficient work to keep her busy and juggling both jobs was becoming too stressful with her pregnancy. She hired a law clerk who would continue to churn out contracts. Aubrey would be able to review them from home. If that became too much to handle the studio would temporarily contract with another lawyer for the work they needed.

Beca was in her office finishing up some paperwork when Theo knocked. "I don't know why you bother knocking. My door is open." The producer kicked back in her chair and propped her feet on the edge of her desk as she grinned at her friend.

"Politeness maybe? Wow, I didn't know your legs were long enough to do that," he teased.

"You're an ass! What's up?"

"Welllllllllllllllll I need you to go to New York this week." Theo's face showed how nervous he was as he said that.

Beca sat up in her chair, slamming her feet on the ground. "Dude no. My wife is about to have a baby. No!" Theo got one of his looks and just sat there. "What the fuck Theo? Why do I have to go to New York?"

"Remember that Cease and Desist order from Guetta's label? Well they are calling in the chips."

"The one where I said I'd THINK about doing a song or two with him. Well I've thought about it and the answer is no. Hell no. And especially not right now. I'm about to become a mom Theo. I don't need this crap. I'm not leaving Chloe."

"Beca, relax. I have a plan." He explained what he was wanting to offer the artist. "We need you there to sell it. I think he'll go for it. Plus you'll only be gone, what, two days max? Chloe's not due for several more weeks."

"Theo, I even had Aubrey push my interviews and photo-shoots I'd been contracted for out until after paternity leave because Chloe is freaking about this baby coming. And now you are wanting me to go out of town right before my son is due?" Theo shrugged as he nodded.

After a few texts with her wife, Beca reluctantly agreed to go to New York and get the artist off the studio's back. She had assured Chloe the trip would only be a few days, and she'd be back well before the baby was due to arrive. In fact, Beca was sure of it.

* * *

David Guetta's studio sent a car for Beca and took her directly to the studio for their meeting. The other party of Theo's plan met her in the lobby, and they went in together. The studio introduced their members who include Guetta, his representative and a studio representative. Beca was twirling her pen around her fingers still pissed she has to leave Chloe in Atlanta. She did her best to shove her emotions down, and she made her introduction. "I'm Beca Mitchell, as I'm sure you know, co-owner of 22-Records. This is one of my best up-coming artists, Cynthia Rose Adams."

The studio again apologized for the Cease and Desist "mishap" and inquired about when they could expect Beca to collaborate with David on the songs as agreed. She took a deep breath to clear her mind and to clear the irritated tone from her voice. "Let's get one thing clear; the agreement was that I would  _consider_  collaboration, not that it was a done deal. Cynthia Rose and I are here today only out of good faith." She laid out the offer from 22-Records.

When Beca finished, David Guetta scoffed. "Let me get this clear. Rather than collaborating with you on two songs, you want me to work with a virtually unknown new artist?"

This comment was not the right thing to say. Now Beca was really pissed off. "First, that order was completely illegal. If you want, we can take you to court AND get the bar association involved with your uncle." Guetta had pushed the wrong buttons with Beca. "Next, let's go over CR's qualifications. She just released a song that she co-wrote and co-sang with Machine Gun Kelly  **and**  appeared in his music video. Oh, and did I mention that she co-produced it?" The people on the other side of the table were shocked. Since CR was a last minute game changer by 22-Records, they hadn't had time to do any research.

"She also co-wrote and co-sang a song with Chris Brown which was recently released. AND we are working on contracts for her to work side by side with Rhianna in the near future. So yes David Guetta, I want you to collaborate with Cynthia Rose. Personally, you might want to reconsider your snippiness to new artists until you know what they are capable of. We were  _all_  new artists at one point in our careers, even those of us who won two Grammys our freshmen year." Beca had to throw in the slam reference to her own accomplishments.

CR was doing her best to hide her smirk. She knew Beca was angry at being pulled to New York City but loved the way she was putting them in their places with her accolades. The studio people asked Beca and CR if they would mind stepping out of the meeting room so a discussion could be had. Beca crossed her arms and plastered a scowl on her face and announced. "If we leave this room, we are walking out of the building. Take it or leave it. CR will do a minimum of three songs with you. That's the offer. Period."

Beca's phone started buzzing which she ignored. Afraid that the 22-Record producer would be true to her word and leave, the studio people huddled in the corner for their discussion. When Beca's phone went off again, CR's phone did as well. Beca pulled the device out of her pocket and read the message. She bolted out of the chair with a frantic look on her face.

The studio director looked her, afraid she was about to take her artist and leave. "Wait Beca, don't leave. We'll take the offer." She stood up and held her hand out to CR. "Cynthia Rose, it'll be a pleasure to work with you." Beca hadn't even heard their acceptance as she had raced out of the room and had disappeared down the hallway.

Pleased with the acceptance, CR gave a short explanation of her boss's behavior. "You'll have to excuse Beca. Her wife just went into labor and she's nine hundred miles and a three-hour flight away." CR then stayed behind to talk to the studio some more about the plans.

* * *

Beca raced out of the Atlanta airport with nothing but her jacket in her hand. She raced to the passenger pick up area and looked for the black, unmarked Dodge Charger with flashing police lights. She saw Stacie standing by the driver's side, waving her arms to get her friend's attention. Beca slid into the passenger side and slapped the dashboard a few times indicating she was ready to go.

"No bags?"

"My assistant is taking care of all of that. Let's go!"

"Sweet deal you got there Mitchell." Stacie hit the siren to accompany the lights in her unmarked patrol car and hauled ass out of the airport.

"Yeah well look at you Lieutenant Conrad. You've got it pretty good yourself. Thanks for picking me up. I could have gotten a car though." Secretly she was glad her best friend driving her.

"Yeah but does your car service have lights and sirens?"

When Beca grew silent, Stacie reached over and grabbed her hand. "She's going to be okay Mitchell. I promise."

"I should have been here. Damn it. I should have never left her alone. Not now. Fuck David Guetta. He's prick. God."

"How could have you known the baby would come almost three weeks early?" Stacie tried to steer the conversation in a direction to calm her friend. "And don't let your wife hear you say that about the man who sings her lady jam."

"Tell me about Aubrey. How's she doing with all this?"

"Big as a house my friend and miserable. She's probably at the hospital right now jealous as fuck that Chloe went into labor early. You know how competitive she is, and I'm sure she wanted to have our baby first." They both laughed.

When they arrived at the hospital in record time, thanks to Stacie's driving, the taller brunette screeched into the emergency zone nearest to the maternity ward. "Oh, the joy of having a badge. This constitutes an emergency, right?"

Beca didn't hear a word that was said as she was quickly out of the car and in a dead sprint to the entrance. "Chloe Beale? Mitchell? Fuck, I don't know what name she's under. Where is she?" The woman directed her to the maternity ward check in where she had to show ID, was issued a "father bracelet" which allowed access to the ward, and taken to Chloe's room. Stacie was right behind Beca and waved her badge to get through.

"Chloe baby. I'm here." Chloe was laying in the bed, face pale with sweat dripping down her face. Beca wrapped her arms around her wife and held her as the redhead caught her breath from the last round of contractions. "I'm here."

Despite her obvious exhaustion, Chloe managed to find a smile for her wife who had indeed made it in time for their son's birth. "Yes you are here. Sorry baby… he decided he was ready to meet both his mommies in person early."

Beca held Chloe's face with one hand and kissed her cheek. "I am so sorry I wasn't here. I should have never left you this close to your due date."

Her wife covered the hand with her own. "It's okay. You are here now, and that's what counts."

"Thanks to Stacie's driving here." She motioned to her tall friend standing behind her. "I didn't realize how much I've missed lights and sirens on a car."

When Chloe realized Stacie was standing behind Beca her eyes widened. "Stacie? What are you doing in here?" The redhead seemed almost panicked.

"I couldn't let my best friend go through this by herself." Stacie grinned at Chloe.

About that time, a scream of pain came from the adjacent room. A very familiar scream. Stacie's face blanched as she about stumbled over her feet running out of the room.

"Was that…?"

Chloe nodded. "After we got here and I got checked in, Bree was teasing me about the baby coming early. She made a joke about everything being a competition. Suddenly she got an odd look on her face. She looked down and realized that her water had broken. Her labor has actually progressed much more quickly than mine."

The two had been friends since they roomed together in college and did virtually everything together. As with most of their life experiences, they chose to go through their major experiences together. But nobody could have predicted this would happen.

When Beca started laughing, Chloe gave her a strange look. "Oh baby. I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing at this." She motioned around the hospital room. "You… and Bree… in labor together. Never in a million years…"

After ensuring that Chloe would be okay for a few minutes, Beca went to check on Aubrey. Chloe was concerned at how fast her friend's labor was progressing and wanted to make sure things were okay. Beca hung out right by the door until the agonizing sounds of labor pains subsided then stuck her head in the room.

"Hey Posen. My wife sent me over to say hi. Make sure you don't have your baby before she does." Aubrey looked equally as exhausted as Chloe but managed a smile. "Conrad, I'm going to stay with your wife a minute. You need to go back to the desk and register since you just badged your way back with me. The staff need to know you are here."

After copious amounts of promises that she'd be right back, Stacie left Beca and her wife alone. Beca reached over to hold Aubrey's hand. "You okay?"

"As okay as I can be trying to push an eight-pound bowling ball out of … this." She motioned to her crotch. "How's Chlo?"

"The same. Thanks for sending Stacie to pick me up at the airport."

"Had I realized I would be going into labor, too, you could have taken the bus for all I care."

Beca chuckled. "Oh Posen, you love me and you know it." Stacie came rushing back into the room with her new hospital bracelet. "Here's your wife; now I need to go back to mine. Love you Bree." She pressed a kiss against her friend's sweaty forehead.

Back in their room, Beca updated Chloe on everything that was happening in the next room. About that time, another wave of contractions hit Chloe. Beca was at a loss as to what to say or do to help, so she went for humor. "I don't know ladybug. It's going to be a footrace this time. I think Aubrey may beat you with those long legs of hers."

This gave Chloe the giggles. "Don't.  _Grunt_. Do.  _Scream_. That." Chloe clamped down on Beca's hand. She was panting and the laughing was making it hard to catch her breath.

Beca shrugged her shoulders. "I'm just saying." She acted like she was considering something. "Come to think about it – they both have legs for days. I say we don't stand a chance."

* * *

A few hours later when both their wives were exhausted and sleeping, Beca and Stacie were standing in front of the glass window in front of where the babies were housed in tiny bassinets. Beca motioned one of the nurses to the hallway and pointed to the two that belonged to her and her best friend. After a bit of discussion, the nurse went in and moved the small cribs so they were next to each other.

"Two minutes Mitchell. We beat you by two minutes." Stacie was staring at her new daughter. "Aubrey is never going to let you live that down you know."

Beca's eyes were glued on her infant son. "That's okay Conrad. What matters is that we have healthy babies and healthy wives. You have lieutenant bars on your collar. Life is good."

"That's not all Mitchell. Let's not forget the two Grammys in your back pocket. But yes, life is good. Speaking of Conrad, I talked to General Posen a few weeks ago when he and his wife came for the baby shower about… you know."

"Have you told her?"

Stacie shook her head. "Nope. I wanted to surprise her when we fill out the birth certificate. You don't think she'll freak that I didn't discuss things with her?" The taller brunette got a worried look on her face.

"Naw, you did good Conrad."

* * *

As soon as both new mothers were relatively rested and awake, Beca had arranged for them to be moved to the executive maternity suite. While still only designed for one new mother, this room was more spacious and could easily accommodate both Chloe and Aubrey. The nurses were decisively against this insisting that each mother needed her rest and her own alone time with her child. However, they were powerless against the wiles of Chloe Mitchell.

The next day, a nurse brought by the birth certificate paperwork to be filled out by the birth mothers. Thanks to the Supreme Court decision in  _Obergefell v. Hodges_  a few years prior, same-sex couples had the same rights as heterosexual couples when it came to putting names on a birth certificate. Georgia was even one of the states that listed Parent 1 and Parent 2. This meant that neither Beca nor Stacie would have to go through second parent adoption proceedings as they were legal parents immediately.

Chloe and Beca had decided to name their son Jacob Preston, so Chloe filled out all the pertinent information and let Beca double check what she had written. Aubrey and Stacie had decided to name their daughter Katherine Grace. When Aubrey went to fill in the form, she wrote Katherine Grace Posen-Conrad.

Stacie stopped her wife by placing her hand atop the form and gently removing the pen. Bree tilted her head sideways as she looked at the tall brunette who was smiling nervously at the blonde not knowing what reaction she was about to receive from her wife. "Before you fill that out Bree, I have something to show you." She slid a certified copy of a Name Change Court Order signed by the judge in front of her wife. Aubrey picked it up to examine it, yet her face remained blank.

"I ummmm talked to your parents before I did this. They are cool with it." Stacie was nervous by her wife's lack of reaction.

Aubrey was still unsure of what she was reading. "You're taking my name? But why?" Her hormone addled brain was having trouble wrapping around the concept of something she and Stacie had never discussed.

"Babe, several reasons. First we are married. Next we have a daughter. And finally I'm going to be in charge of the civilian side of Posen Security Industries, and your dad and I thought …"

"Wait! What?" Aubrey was not able to process all the information her wife was throwing at her. "When did you decide to go to work for my dad?"

"Errrrrr last month when he came for the baby shower. We haven't signed the contracts, but it's something I really want to do. Plus, I'll be able to better provide for you and Katherine Grace." She leaned over and placed her hand on Aubrey's shoulder. "I know this is a lot to lay on you at once, especially with all the baby hormones…" She paused, looking over at Chloe nervously. Beca and Chloe were trying to not listen and to stay out of family business.

Aubrey didn't speak or move. Finally, Chloe piped up. "Bree this is a good thing. I know it's a lot to take in, but Stacie worships the ground you walk on and has done all of this for the best interests of you and your daughter."

Eventually the blonde seemed to break out of her stupor. She wadded up the birth certificate form and tossed it on the ground. "I guess give me another form so I can get our baby's name right. Katherine Grace Posen." She smiled as Stacie stooped to give her a kiss.

* * *

Aubrey's, Stacie's, and Chloe's parents all made it to the hospital the day after the babies arrived before everyone was due to be discharged the next day. The new grandparents were all ga-ga over their new grand babies. Lots of pictures were taken and congratulations all around. Chloe's parents planned to stay at her and Beca's house.

Aubrey and Stacie's house was down to one adult guest room. The families decided Aubrey's parents should stay there since Bree was the one who had given birth. Beca offered the pool house to Stacie's parents, but they wanted to get a hotel room to be as close to their granddaughter as possible. Beca had her assistant make the arrangements so her best friend's parents wouldn't have to worry about anything.

The activity of having so many extra people around really wore Chloe and Aubrey out. Soon, Stacie and Beca were shooing the grandparents away from the hospital with promises of seeing them the next day when the babies came home.

Because both babies were born three weeks early, neither Beca nor Stacie had time to get car seats properly installed. The day before, Stacie called one of her friends in the department who was a certified child passenger safety technician, qualified to inspect and install car seats. He came out and took car of both vehicles for the new moms. "Once you get a chance to breath, bring your other cars by the station. Several of us are certified and any one will be happy to help install those seats as well. DON'T do it yourself Conrad."

The next morning, both mothers and babies were discharged. The babies were safely strapped into their car seats, each with a nervous mother sitting beside them and an equally nervous mother behind the wheel. The newborns were each slowly shuttled to their perspective homes to be greeted by the excited grandparents.

* * *

Beca drove up the circular driveway and parked in front of the house. She looked at her wife through the rear-view mirror as she asked, "are you ready to do this?"

"Why don't we park in the garage babe?"

"That's an extra set of stairs, unless you'll let me put Jacob in the dumb waiter." Beca grinned at her wife to let her know she was teasing.

By this time, Mrs. Beale had made it out to the car and had the door open. She was swiftly freeing her grandson's carrier from the car seat as she made faces and cooed at him. "You do know he's asleep Mom, right?" Mrs. Beale got the infant out and took him upstairs to his room and snuggled into his crib. Chloe was exhausted and decided to take advantage of the time Jacob was asleep to take a nap herself.

While Mrs. Beale was settling Jacob in his room, Beca and Mr. Beale were carrying in everything from the hospital – supplies the hospital had sent, flowers, and additional gifts friends had brought by when they came to see the newborn. When Mrs. Beale came back down, she told Beca, "You two have baby monitors everywhere."

"Yeah, we figured it'd be easier to have multiple monitors rather than carrying one with us. The ones with green stripes are for Jake and the red stripes go to Katie's room."

* * *

Chloe was having hard time adjusting to waking up every two hours to feed her son. Both her mother and her wife tried to reassure her that he'd be okay if she'd pump, and let them help her while they adjusted to the newborn. "Bug, you'll wear yourself out unnecessarily. You aren't a single parent. I'm here  _and_  your parents are here. Between the four of us, you should be able to get some real sleep."

After two days of trying to do the feedings on her own, Chloe conceded and accepted help. Once she did, she realized that she needed to take every advantage of her parent's experience while they were here for the next few weeks. Once she was mostly caught up on her sleep, as much as a new mom can be, she FaceTimed went her best friend to see how she was doing.

Aubrey looked similarly haggard but admitted that her and Stacie's parents taking a rotating schedule to helping with Katie as well. They both agreed that many hands made for light work. "I know it's early Bree, but why don't you invite everyone over to our house in a few days. I'm sure everyone there would appreciate a change of scenery. I'll cater in lunch so everyone can visit. We even have room for both sets of parents to stay in the pool house if needed." While the blonde said a sleep over would be too early at this point, she agreed to talk to Stacie and the grandparents about coming over for a lunch.

* * *

Aubrey walked into the nursery while her father was changing Katie's diaper. "You look like a pro dad. Who would have thought a big old general would be changing diapers?"

Her father shot her a sideways glance. "I'll have you know I changed many a diaper in my day with you and your brother. I was quite a hands-on father, as much as I could be given my job."

"I know you were Daddy. I'm just teasing you. You are going to be a terrific granddad, too." She lovingly put her hand on his shoulder. "Daddy? Stacie told me some things you and her had discussed."

"I think Stacie Posen has quite a ring to it. I'm very proud of your wife to want to take your name. She's quite an honorable woman."

"And Posen Security Industries?"

He chuckled. "The plans right now are for the headquarters to be in Atlanta since my two lead employees will be here. Maybe later we can expand, but for now Atlanta is HQ."

"Two?"

"Stacie is going to be over the civilian side, coordinating efforts with police departments and recruiting police employees for part time or full time work. Matthew is going to be over the military side, recruiting former military employees. We are still working out training plans."

"Matthew? My Matty?" Aubrey was surprised to hear her brother's best friend's name come up. "Wait you said your two lead employees will be Atlanta based? Matty is moving to Atlanta?"

David nodded. "As soon as his discharge goes through, he's moving here." He had to be careful to keep at least one hand on his granddaughter when his daughter wrapped her arms around him for a tremendous hug.

"Oh Daddy. This is going to be perfect. Do you think he'll mind being Uncle Matty?"

He laughed. "I would imagine he'd expect it."


	16. Baby Party or WTF?

As the babies were celebrating their first month of life, their mothers started planning a celebration of sorts. So many of their friends and extended family were wanting to meet the babies that the energy drain was rather demanding on the new mothers. When the grandparents were visiting, the visitors were easier to handle, but as the extra hands returned to their regular lives, the mothers found the constant visiting exhausting.

The party announcements gently stated that while all visitors were welcome, the celebration would be a time designated to meet and play with both babies. The time before the party would also allow time for the babies' immune systems to strengthen. At six weeks, Beca and Chloe hosted another gathering which actually ended up eclipsing the house-warming party they had thrown when they moved in.

In addition to the caterer and bartenders, they also hired additional people to man the outdoor cook stations previously manned by Stacie, Aubrey and Beca. A temporary fence had been erected around the pool and hot tub with only one entry point. This was to ensure that nobody wandered in with one of their babies!

The baby celebration was quite a success, and the mothers hoped this would relieve some of the crowd of people constantly want to visit their homes during such a tiring time. Theo showed up, late again, but this time Beca knew why. She helped him bring in the display boards from his vehicle and set them up next to the outdoor kitchen.

Once she was ready, she got everybody's attention. "Hey guys! Thanks for coming out and helping us celebrate Jacob and Katherine coming into our lives. We all appreciate you and your support of our growing families." Everyone clapped. "As usual… I have a surprise for my wife and Aubrey and maybe some of you other parents out there."

"What did you do now Beca?" Chloe called out. Her wife had a tendency to always go overboard with her surprises, but Chloe loved every minute of it.

Theo was standing on the other side of the board and he pulled off the cloth. Beca called out. "To celebrate the new additions to the 22-Records family, I'd like to show you the new addition to the studio, the 22-Records Day Care. The facility, which is fully certified, will be operated by licensed child care specialists. We hope to offer this as a benefit to our employees, including myself and Aubrey, as well as possibly to some of our visiting artists." She shuffled through some of the pictures to show infant and toddler rooms as well as space for some older children. "There's even a covered outdoor playground."

Beca was interrupted by her wife running up to give her a warm embrace. Aubrey was standing next to Stacie in shock. Beca spoke one more time. "Especially now… I know how important family is. Theo and I want to do everything we can to ensure our employees' families are taken care of."

When Beca stepped away from the outdoor kitchen, she pulled Chloe over to where Aubrey and Stacie stood. She grinned sheepishly. "I kind of figured you two were ready to get back to Saturday Girls' Day. Of course, you are welcome to drop the babies off anytime. While you are both on maternity leave, there will always be infant slots for our kids. And Aubrey, on-site daycare is a new perk of your permanent position."

* * *

THREE MONTHS

After Jacob was born, Chloe took her maternity leave through the end of the school year. Luckily she had even more time because of summer break. The redhead and her best friend had tested the waters with leaving their infants for a few hours in the studio day-care while they spent some mommy time away a few days a week which seemed to be okay in small doses. But after most of June passed, Chloe began to struggle with the idea of being away from her new son all day as she went back to school in the fall. She slipped into a state of depression.

Beca adjusted her schedule as much as possible to allow her to be home to help Chloe with their son. But seeing Chloe so distraught when these should be her happiest days was taking a toll on the brunette who didn't know what to do for the mother of her child. Soon the couple were interviewing nannies in an attempt to find someone who fit the new family just right not only in child care, but also in helping around the house. Beca could sense her wife's frustration at not being able to find the perfect match.

After the last interview of the afternoon, Chloe threw the application on the "maybe" pile. "Becs, why does this have to be so hard?" She put her head down on her arms as she sighed. Beca placed her hands on her wife's shoulders and began to gently rub her tense muscles. "Nobody seems good enough to take care of Jake."

"Have you ever thought it's so hard because a part of you is afraid to go back to work, to leave your son with another person?" Chloe remained quiet as she sat up and turned to bury her face in Beca's stomach. The brunette lovingly stroked the fire red hair of the woman she fiercely loved. "What if you didn't go back to work?" Chloe tilted her head up to look at her wife with an almost hopeful look in her eyes. "It's not like we need the money."

"Grasshopper, that's not really fair to you. You work so hard as it is. I need to offer at least something. Plus, I think I'd go crazy if I didn't work."

"I'm going to bust my ass just as much whether or not you work. And I want the best person possible watching after our son. Isn't that person his mother?"

* * *

With the pressures of parenthood creeping up on Beca and wanting to make sure her wife wasn't stressed, an idea popped into her head. The next day, she ran the thought past Theo who agreed wholeheartedly. When she got home, she found Chloe napping in the nursery room rocking chair holding Jake firmly against her chest. She gently got her son and make sure he was safely tucked in his crib. Then, she awakened Chloe and motioned for her to go downstairs.

"How was your day Chlo?" She wrapped her arm around Chloe to pull her in tight. Regardless of what had happened at the studio, Beca always checked in on the new mother first. Chloe shared the day's trials and tribulations as well as accomplishments. "I had an idea about you returning back to work and ran it past Theo. He loved it." With the mention of returning to the job, Chloe immediately tensed up.

Beca ran her hand up and down her wife's back. "Hold on Bug. Hear me out. You know we opened the day care at the studio, right? There are some older children there, and some kids check in after school while their parents are still working. Would you be interested in starting a music program for children at the studio?" Chloe perked up as she listened to more of Beca's plan.

"Paid, of course. If there isn't enough room to do what you want, we have some empty meeting rooms we can commandeer inside the studio. If the program is successful, we have one more out building that we can convert to a music room just for you." She could tell that Chloe was thinking hard about the proposal. Before Chloe could speak, the baby monitor on the coffee table showed Jake stirring. Beca told Chloe she'd take care of him and rushed upstairs before he could fully wake up and start to cry.

* * *

Chloe sat in the living room a bit watching Beca interact with their son on the monitor. Being able to both see and hear the baby from any room in the house was one of the wisest decisions they had made. The redhead adored watching her wife with Jacob. Beca always woke him up by walking in the room singing in a soft, gentle voice. She sang all while she was changing his diaper while he was slowly waking up from his nap.

As he began to wake up, Beca got his bottle ready and sat down in the rocker. As she fed him, she switched to talking. She had a full blown conversation where she told him all about her day and what she and "Uncle Theo" had talked about so his Mommy could spend more time with him. Chloe's heart melted each time she watched the routine when Beca came home.

Watching her wife interact with their son allowed the pieces to fall into place for Chloe Mitchell. Music was their life, both her and Beca's. Private music lessons would fit perfectly into her life. While some students may be younger than the students she was used to working with, she  _could_ do this. And when Chloe made up her mind to take Beca and Theo up on their offer, she could feel the weight of the world being lifted from her shoulders.

* * *

"Chlo? Babe, I'm home. Jake?" While Jake wasn't quite old enough to answer his mama, Beca always called out for him. She caught a glimpse of fire red hair and pale skin outside in the pool. When she saw her two precious loves playing in the pool, she raced upstairs to quickly change and join them under the shade of the pergola covering the shallow end.

Beca went running out the back door and cannonballed into the deep end of the pool, sending water careening over her wife and son's heads. "Beca!" Chloe half-heartedly complained at her wife's antics.

"What? It's water; you'll dry. Who's my precious boy?" Beca waded over to where Chloe was pushing Jake around in his inflatable pool float. She commandeered the float and began to make motorboat noises with her mouth as she began to push him faster around the pool.

On Beca's second pass, Chloe snagged her arm and pulled her wife in for a kiss. "Don't forget about your precious girl," she purred.

Keeping one hand solidly on her son, Beca tugged her wife in close for a deep kiss. "Never." She murmured into her mouth. After a bit of play time, Chloe announced time had come for the family to go inside. Jake was fed a light snack and put down for his late afternoon nap.

Beca was slouched on the couch, rubbing her wife's feet. "You've generated a lot of excitement at the studio babe. Employees are excited about the music lessons. Theo got ahead of himself and kind of spilled the beans." Seeing Chloe's genuine smile made Beca's heart warm. No longer was her wife a depressed, sullen mess. She seemingly had an air of peace about her and purpose.

"Oh, Emily is coming into town next week. Is it too early to have a longer term house guest? She will be here for a few weeks or so. We can put her in the pool house or the guest bedroom. Or the studio can make arrangements to put her up in a hotel in the city. What do you think?"

"I think that if you put one of my Bella sisters in a hotel that you'll be the one sleeping in the guest room." Chloe grinned at her wife. "Of course she can stay here Becs. Make sure Aubrey knows so we can all make plans to spend some time together."

"Done. She's got a good voice on her Chlo. And she has some talents in the writing area, too. Theo and I are impressed how well  _Flashlight_  did." When Chloe asked why that was the only song Beca had tapped for her since the wedding, Beca replied that Emily's focus had been on finishing school and her responsibilities there, including being captain of the Bellas. "She's dedicated; I'll give you that."

* * *

Beca decided to use her home studio to work with Emily on her newest song. The equipment had not been truly tested, and frankly Chloe liked having her college friend around during breaks. Emily got along fabulously with Jake as the infant simply adored the younger girl.

Emily got several versions of her new songs recorded, and Beca had most of the rough mixing done. The producer announced she had to go into 22-Records to do some more complex work. Chloe decided that she wanted to go in as well to get Emily's ideas on her music lesson studio. Plus, the young Bella had yet to see the studio fully operational.

When they arrived, Chloe and Emily immediately went to the child-care area to drop Jacob off in the infant room so Chloe could give the grand tour unencumbered. The redhead texted her best friend to let her know she and Emily were out back so that if Aubrey had a free minute, she could come visit.

22-Records seemed quite full of people, more so than normal. Theo had booked the largest studio for one of his huge artists that he had been able to steal from another label. So the tiny producer found smaller studio and snagged one of the available interns and got to work. Since the song was already in a good place when she arrived, Beca only had a few touches before she was ready to have Tony take a few passes at it and make some suggestions. He was doing quite well in his junior producer role and was about ready to take on his own musician when the right one came along. Beca dropped the files into the main shared drive and closed up the studio.

As Beca came up, she heard the familiar chatter of Chloe and Aubrey coming up the stairs along with the increasingly familiar voice of Emily. About the same time, the door to the largest studio snapped open and a crowd of people began to pour out. Recognizing Hailee Steinfield's team, Beca excitedly stood on her toes looking for the tall singer. As she did, her wife and crew came flying around the corner.

Beca didn't have time to call out a warning before Hailee Steinfield and Emily Junk ran face to face into each other. Everyone on the floor froze. Not only because the two women had run into each other nor because the college a capella singer had invaded the space of quite a famous singer but because the women were mirror images of each other.

* * *

Emily, the gangly young woman that she always was, suddenly became frantic. "Oh! I- I,- I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to run you over." Her laugh was nervous. "Are you okay?" When Emily finally looked up and realize exactly with whom she had collided, her face became beet red and her stuttering became worse. "Oh, OH! Oh my god. Ms. Steinfield. I'm so so so sorry."

Hailee couldn't help but to feel badly for the girl who looked so much like herself. She put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. No blood, see?" She offered her hand. "I'm Hailee."

"Ummm yeah, you are. Errrr I'm Emily." The young Bella took the super star's hand gently in hers, quickly shook it and dropped her hand to her side. "I'm really sorry I ran into you."

Hailee's team went to move her past the audience that had grown in the studio hallway. The star held up her hand. "I think we kind of ran into each other Emily." She turned to Theo. "Theo, there are way too many people out here." Hailee was still in awe of the young woman standing in front of her. "Do you think we can find a place a little more private?"

Theo shooed one of the interns away to straighten up a meeting room that had some comfortable couches. Hailee was arguing with some of her entourage about talking with the strange woman who had bowled her over. The singer had not taken her eyes off of Emily and was insisting that they have some time to talk. Since Emily had latched onto Chloe's hand and did not seem to be letting go anytime soon, Chloe insisted on going with her Bella sister.

Theo knew both women, so he said he'd sit in the back of the room unless Hailee wanted her manager there. "Theo, I trust you with my life. Come on."

Soon the group was seated in one of the meeting rooms. An intern came in briefly to ask what they'd like to drink. "Tea, jasmine please." Hailee and Emily spoke at the same time. Theo and Chloe's eyes widened at the uncanniness of the request.

"Theo I trust this isn't your idea of a sick joke," Hailee sipped on her tea. She had kicked off her shoes and tucked her feet beneath her on the couch. Her curious gaze landed on Emily who was already sitting in a similar pose.

"Honestly Hailee, I never even realized the resemblance before seeing you two side by side today. I even signed Emily and didn't notice. I swear." Theo was adamant that he had never noticed the likeness between the two singers.

Seemingly in shock, Emily just stared at her doppelganger. "I ummm don't know what to say." Chloe rubbed her friend's back in a reassuring manner. "Or what to ask." Her voice was quiet as she refused to look up into the super star's eyes.

Hailee got a pensive look on her face. "Emily, I'm going to share some rather personal things with you. All my life, I've always felt a piece of me was missing, you know. Did you know I was adopted as an infant?" Emily looked as though she was about to choke as she gulped in large breaths of air.

"When is your birthday? Emily's voice was so quiet she could barely be heard. Hailee told her and what composure Emily had started to crack. "Mine, too." She shared that she, too, had been adopted early in life – born to a drug addicted lounge singer who apparently wanted better for her twin girls.

As the conversation progressed, the two women became increasingly comfortable sharing with each other. They slowly were realizing exactly how parallel their lives were until after high school when Hailee continued to pursue life in the public eye – acting and singing – and Emily went to college.

Watching her friend closely, Chloe could tell that Emily was becoming overwhelmed. She was starved for information about her possible twin-sister, but the initial adrenaline was quickly waning. Chloe asked Hailee if she'd be interested in coming out to her and Beca's house for dinner. She explained that Emily was staying there, and Aubrey and Stacie were already coming over for the evening. "I always order too much food, so please join us. This will give you two more time to talk in a more comfortable environment."

Theo explained that the studio had their own security team run by Aubrey's wife, Stacie, so safety concerns were non-existent. After some haggling with her agent, the decision was made for Hailee's agent and her body guard would go. Of course as Hailee's longtime producer, Theo decided to come as well to look out for the interests of both of his singers.

Despite Hailee begging Emily to ride with her, the young Bella insisted on riding back with Chloe to give herself some time to process everything. Beca rode out to the house with Theo to give Chloe and Emily some time alone. "Theo, what's going on here? Do you really think they are sisters?"

Theo shrugged. "Honestly Beca, I don't know. Before tonight, I never had a clue that Hailee was adopted. So that alone is news to me. I'll do what I can, but her agent is already having a shit fit. She's going to insist on blood tests, etc. She's pretty protective of Hailee. I'll do what I can to shield her."

"Well Emily is one of Chloe's Bella sisters. Know that I'll fight for her tooth and nail to make sure she doesn't get dragged through the mud. She's got a sweet and innocent soul."

* * *

After dinner, Hailee and Emily went down to the pool house where the roll-up door had been raised and chaise lounge chairs had been arranged for them to talk alone.

"I meant what I said at the studio Emily. All my life, I felt as though a part of me was missing – a chunk of my soul I couldn't explain. My parents were always up-front with me about being adopted. The only information we had was that I had a twin sister who died at birth. My birth mother was heavily into drugs. Luckily she gave me, well us, her voice and not her habits."

Emily was lost in thought. "Well luckily I didn't die at birth. Ummmm that is,  _if_  I'm your sister. Do you think it's possible?" The two continued their conversation and both discovered that they had adopted a Labrador puppy in their teens – Hailee's yellow and Emily's chocolate brown. They both drink tea, never coffee. Green beans were a vegetable neither touched, and the similarities continued.

The pair talked late into the night, neither wanting to let go of the new possibility that had slid into their lives. When Hailee's yawns about overcame her, Emily mentioned that perhaps they should go to bed. "Meh, Theo may act like a slave-driver, but I've known him a long time. He'll cut me some slack tomorrow. I really would like to spend some more time with you Emily. We have a lot of years to catch up on."

Emily reached over and grasped her sister's hand. "I'd like that, too, Hailee."

"My agent is probably up at the house having a fit right now. She probably thinks you are some gold-digger or crazy ass stalker. How offended would you be if she insisted on DNA testing? You know, to settle this sister question."

"Hmmmm can I talk to Aubrey about it? Stuff like that scares me."

"Sure Emily. I don't need proof. I know who you are. But this would help things for everyone else."

Emily nodded. "Hey Hailee, thanks for coming out here tonight and not just blowing me off at the studio. I know you are famous and all. But if we truly are sisters, well – I don't think I have to tell you what that would mean to me."

* * *

The two tall, lanky brunette singers made their way back up to the main house where everyone else was hanging out visiting. Theo told Hailee to not come in until the afternoon the next day so she could rest. Then the singer, her body guard and agent headed back into town. Theo also said his good nights and went home. Because the hour had gotten so late, Aubrey had already put Katie down for the night in her bedroom. So she and Stacie decided to spend the night.

Emily was emotionally drained. While everyone else was puttering around the house getting ready for bed, she simply sat on the couch. Chloe made her some tea, ginger this time and sat next to the younger Bella. "You okay?"

This alone was enough to start Emily crying. Chloe pulled her friend into her and let the young woman weep. The stress rolled off of her body in waves as the tears poured down her face. After Emily had sufficiently banished much of the nervous tension from her system, she sipped on her tea. "Chloe, all my life I've been a single child. My mom told me early on that I was adopted which meant that I was born in her heart. We never knew there was a possibility that another child had been bore by my birth mother – no sisters, no brothers, and certainly no twin. What if Hailee is really my sister? What if I actually have a blood relative?"

Chloe knew how overwhelming everything was for Emily to take in. She also knew that the young Bella's heart would be broken if she ended up not being Hailee's sister. "Emily, you know I love you – and Aubrey – and all of the Bellas – past, present, and future. Please remember that no matter what happens with this, we will always be your family. You don't walk away from family."


	17. Doppleganger Duo

True to Theo's thoughts, Hailee's agent immediately began to frantically insist on DNA testing for both women. Aubrey talked to Emily about the process and what it meant, ensuring her that no matter what happened, Hailee would continue to be her friend and Emily would always have a family with the Bellas. A rush was put on the testing and results were expected within the month.

Despite not having the test results, Hailee and Emily quickly formed a tight bond and were increasingly spending more time together – both in the studio and out. Emily showed her some of her songs she'd written, and Hailee fell in love. She insisted on Emily recording in the studio with her, so Theo and Beca were using the duplicity of their voices to create some amazing harmonies on the tracks being laid down for Hailee's new album.

As the two producers watched both women interact in the booth, he looked over at Beca. "I know Hailee is young, but I've produced every song and album she's released. I've  ** _never_**  seen her like this before. She's so energized, different."

"God I hope the blood work results go our way. They are both going to be devastated if they aren't sisters." Beca slipped her headphones back on to make a few adjustments. "Meanwhile they are putting out some good music."

* * *

The DNA results came back right at four weeks and were delivered to Aubrey's office. When she called Theo to see what he wanted her to do, they had a long conversation about involving Hailee's team. "Honestly Theo, this seems to be more of a personal matter. I think Hailee and Emily should decide who is here when the results are opened."

The singers were both finishing up lunch so Theo called him into the lawyer's office. They both looked at the envelope Aubrey was holding with expectant and hopeful expressions. "Your results came in ladies. The question is, how do you want to do this?" Aubrey laid the envelope on the edge of her desk.

Ultimately Hailee and Emily decided they wanted to open the results alone so they could process their emotions without others around. Aubrey and Theo left them alone in the office and told them to take their time as they nervously waited outside. The silence was unnerving. Soon, Aubrey could hear Emily's cries. Her heart was breaking for the baby Bella. However, when the door to the office was opened, both women came rushing out with huge smiles on their tear-streaked faces.

Emily waved the paper around. "99.9% match. Hailee and I are identical twins. I knew it!  **We**  knew it!" Hailee was equally excited as the now confirmed sisters held each other tightly. Of course Hailee's team tried to step in and immediately control the press situation, but Hailee immediately stopped them.

"Emily is my sister. My only blood relative. I understand you are trying to protect me, but she's a part of me. I know exactly how I want to tell the world. I have an idea of how I want to release this to the media. Hear me out."

Hailee had thought out a spectacular plan and work began immediately to make sure the strategy would fall into place. The studio did hold a hush-hush "It's a Girl" party to celebrate the news for both singers, but a media blackout was placed on everything until Hailee's next concert which just so happened to be in Atlanta several weeks away.

* * *

"Hellllloooooooo Atlanta! Glad you could be here tonight." Hailee appeared on stage wearing a black-draped top over black skin tight pants tucked into silver boots. She was fired up for the crowd tonight because she knew what a special evening it was going to be. She started her concert with some of her latest hits, ones that everyone knew and enjoyed. Later she took the mic again for some banter with the audience. Then she announced. "We have something special our fans tonight. Just for you. A new song."

Hailee stepped behind an electronic keyboard that was placed slightly off center on the stage and began to play.

_I keep denying, begging for attention/Dropping hints, hoping for some tension/Getting tired of making all this racket/Waiting on you to get your ass in gear_

On the opposite side of the stage, Emily walked on to stand next to her sister, wearing a similar outfit to Hailee's but opposite colors – silver top and bottoms tucked into black boots. The fans weren't quite sure what to do because the women looked identical. Were their eyes telling the truth or was it an optical illusion?

_I didn't wanna be so invested/I played it cool and then I overdressed it/You were there,_

Emily grabbed the mic and began singing.

_I was tired of this/Nonsense when you pretend you don't/Get me, feel me, want me/Like me, love me, need me_

Hailee turned to walk across the stage, and Emily would follow and vice versa. Each time they stopped walking, the women would come side by side. Together the singers continued singing, their voices in perfect synchronization – identical tone, everything the same. The fans were starting to go wild.

_Tonight, you're fuel for my fire/You can't stop desire, oh oh oh oh/Stop desire, oh oh oh/I tried, but you're fuel to my fire/You can't stop desire, oh oh oh, oh/Stop desire, oh oh oh, oh_

_In a minute, I'll be hoping that you're outside/Another second, you'll be walking on my wild side/You know I'm ready for anything to happen/Take this passion, turn it into action_

As Hailee and Emily sang the song, they watched other when they could and smiled the entire song. As the final notes faded, everyone in the stadium was on their feet. Emily ran over to her sister and wrapped her arms around the woman. Hailee grabbed her mic and yelled, "Atlanta, I'd like to introduce you to a very special new artist, Emily Junk, my twin sister."

Once the raucous applause from the excited fans died down, Emily took the mic. "Hey everyone. Until a few weeks ago, I was an only child. Hailee and I recently discovered each other, and I have to say it's been quite a ride so far learning about someone who is so like yourself yet lived such a different life. We discovered that in the past, we both felt isolated within ourselves, lost and lonely perhaps. We have one more new song to perform for you together. We think it's a really powerful song about feeling alienated amongst yourself."

She stepped back as the music began. Emily took a seat on a stool and started playing an acoustic guitar while Hailee stood behind an electronic keyboard to sing first.

_Standing where I am now, standing up at all/I was used to feeling like I was never gonna see myself at the finish line/Hanging on to parts of me, hanging on at all/I was used to seeing no future in my sight line_

Emily chimed in. Both singers' eyes were closed as they looked nowhere – not at the audience, not at each other.

_Sometimes it feels like they wanna remind me/Send all those villains after me/I'm not their hero/But that doesn't mean that I wasn't brave/I never walked the party line/Doesn't mean that I was never afraid/I'm not your hero/But that doesn't mean we're not one and the same_

Emily stopped playing and singing, brushed her hair away from her face but still avoided looking anywhere. Emotion was pouring from both singers.

_Feeling like I am now lighting up the hall/I was used to standing in the shadow of a damaged heart/Learning all I know now, losing all I did/I never used to feel like I'd be standing so far ahead_

_Sometimes it feels what I recovered you lost/Sending your peaceful loss to me_

The voices were a bit different in this song than the first. Emily blended in with a bit more harmony along with the simple singing with their sister. However, when they finished, nobody could doubt the passion and power behind the song.

* * *

Two songs were all Emily was prepared to perform, especially since the concert had been billed as a Hailee Steinfield concert. The tracks for the original album Hailee had been in Atlanta recording were mostly completed, but the super star decided that she wanted to put those songs on the back burner so she and Emily could release their own album together. She and Hailee had spent a great deal of studio time together recording some of Emily's previously written songs.

Emily had begun to write again, this time penning songs more closely relating to her experiences with self-discovery and learning her true self. Hailee couldn't cancel her current tour dates but convinced Emily to join her and to maybe sing their two first songs together as she felt comfortable. The younger Bella happily accepted knowing this would give her yet more time with her sister.

* * *

**HOLIDAYS**

As the holidays began to approach, both couples had to make some hard decisions about how to split their time with their families. After a lengthy discussion, Beca and Chloe decided to spend Thanksgiving with the Beale's in Oregon but to spend Christmas with just their own family in Atlanta. "I want to start our own traditions Bug. I know how important your family is, but a long Thanksgiving weekend should be enough – right? You know I'll bring them down to Atlanta anytime you want sweetie." Eventually Chloe agreed that she and Beca needed to have their own space for the holidays.

Stacie and Aubrey had a little more difficult time. They had two families, each who wanted time to spend with the grandchild and their daughters. The Posens lived in Virgina while the Conrads lived in North Carolina, so visiting both families for the same holiday would have been difficult to manage. After a great deal of maneuvering, the decision was made that for this year, Thanksgiving would be spent with Stacie's family and Christmas with Aubrey's. The couple did put both sets of grandparents on notice that the next year would be the beginning of their own family traditions.

* * *

**NINE MONTHS**

During the small lull between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Chloe had put a temporary hold on music lessons at the studio so she could concentrate on decorating her and Beca's house for Christmas. One afternoon when Beca came home after work, she could hear Chloe and Jake in the living room. Hearing her wife talk to their son always made her heart warm. A few weeks ago, he had started to babble sounds that were starting to sound like words – at least to her, words like mama. Slowly he began to form additional sounds as well.

As she climbed the stairs from the garage, she heard a familiar noise, an engine noise then a beeping sound from a very specific toy. As she reached the top of the stairs, her mouth dropped open as she saw what he was playing with. He had the garbage toy truck, her very first gift from Chloe on the night of their second "date" when Beca first cooked her famous lasagna. Her son had Beca's beloved toy gripped firmly in his hand and was banging it against the hardwood floor. When the lights came on and noises went off, he giggled.

When a haggard Chloe saw Beca, neither said anything. Beca looked at her wife, looked at the toy her son was playing with, and looked back at her wife, waiting for an explanation. Chloe sighed as she got off the floor, leaving Jake happily banging the garbage truck on the ground to hear it make noises and see it light up. Chloe looked exhausted as she gave her wife a kiss.

"I'm sorry Becs. He wouldn't stop crying. I didn't know what to do. I carried him around for at least an hour. We looked at all the grasshoppers and all the ladybugs. We tried playing with his stuffed animals. He didn't want to go for a swim. He wouldn't stop crying. I took him over to show him your garbage truck and police collection. He pointed right at it and said 'truck'."

A little voice came from the floor. "'uck, 'uck, 'uck." Bang, bang, bang.

"That's right baby," Chloe cooed. "Truck. So I tried it. He immediately stopped crying. Once he figured out how to get the lights and noises to come on, he's been happy ever since."

Beca was scowling. "But babe, that was the first present you ever bought me." Beca reached down to gently take the truck away from her son.

He began screaming at top of his lungs. "'uck, 'uck, 'uck." He raised his arms towards Beca, pointing at the toy, starting to tear up.

"Woah there Jake. It's okay." Beca quickly handed the toy back which appeased the toddler. "I guess it's his now. They don't make them anymore." She had conflicting feelings about the emotions she was having over a silly toy.

"I'm sorry Becs. I didn't know what else to do."

Beca softened the gruff look on her face. "It's okay Chlo. You have a tough job, and I don't blame you for doing what it takes to survive."

* * *

**CHRISTMAS**

Because Chloe had made the decision to decorate their house herself, she tried to not go too far overboard with her Christmas decorations. She did have a crew deliver their Christmas tree simply because she didn't feel she could manage the bulky item while watching Jake.

The Mitchells also decided to not go overboard with presents. Jake was only not even one and wouldn't realize the significance of the holiday anyway. "There's nothing we need Grasshopper; and we always buy what we want. Let's just enjoy each other's company this year." They settled on a few toys for Jacob and one for each other.

* * *

**ONE YEAR OLD**

Beca came racing up the steps to the house and found Chloe and Jacob in the living room, toys spread everywhere. "My favorite redheads! I've missed you!" Beca went to swoop up her son, but Chloe stopped her and motioned for her to take a seat on the ground a few feet away. She gestured for Beca to put her legs out in a V-shape.

"We missed you, too, Mama. Jake has something to show you. He's been working on it all day long. I think he's almost there." Chloe started recording the Go-Pro which was attached to a small tripod, unwilling to miss any milestones. She gingerly put the chubby baby on his feet and held him until he got his sea-legs beneath him. "Go to Mama, Jake."

When Beca realized what might be happening, her face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Seriously?" Chloe nodded. The brunette began encouraging Jake to walk towards her. "Good job Jacob. Come to Mama. You can do it." The plump child began to wobble towards his mama, taking three tentative steps before teetering face first towards the ground. Beca lunged after him to swoop him into her arms. Her smile extended beyond the edges of her face. "Oh goodness Jake. That was amazing! What a surprise for Mama!" The redheaded child cooed and batted at Beca's face with his chubby little fists.

After giving him copious attention, hugs, and kisses, Beca turned him around and put him on his feet again. "Go back to Mommy, Jake." The chunky little boy waddled towards Chloe, again taking about three steps before Chloe caught him before he fell. "Oh man Chlo, I'm so disappointed I missed his first steps!"

Chloe flashed a grin at her wife. "You didn't babe. This was this first time he did more than stand, wobble, and fall to his hands and knees."

The brunette pumped her fists in the air partially at their child's accomplishments and a lot because she didn't miss his first steps. Beca crawled over to her wife and son. "Somebody is turning one soon!" She tickled his tummy. "Hey babe, some of us at the studio were talking. With the day care up and running and your music program going so well, the employees want to throw a party for Jake and Katie. They worship both you and Aubrey and want to show their appreciation. What would you think of that? Having the birthday party at the studio?"

The redhead frowned for a moment at the thought of not having a hand at planning her son's and god-daughter's first birthday party. "Is the studio large enough for everyone? You know all the grandparents will want to be there."

"I don't think there will be a space issue in the courtyard, day care – with people bleeding into the studio." She watched Chloe's face carefully. "You can say no, of course. And I haven't talked to Aubrey yet, either. Why don't you two talk it out? The staff just adores you and Bree. They want to make this a special day for the kids."

"Can we choose the theme?"

Beca chuckled. "I don't see why not. I'm sure they will even give you veto rights on everything. I just know how much it would mean to them. See what Bree has to say babe."

* * *

The party was a tremendous success. Chloe and Aubrey admitted that not having to plan the whole ordeal took a lot of stress off their plates. Due to the age of the children, the gathering was over early Saturday afternoon. The studio staff insisted on doing all the clean-up so that the parents and grandparents could go home. Both families headed to Beca and Chloe's for a private celebration and dinner.

Chloe and Stacie's moms took both of the exhausted toddlers upstairs to tuck them into bed. As Beca pulled the vehicle into the garage, Chloe noticed a truck and horse trailer out at the barn. "Ummm Becs, somebody is here."

The brunette didn't say anything, just smiled. She texted Stacie to gather the rest of the family and meet them at the barn. She grabbed her wife's hand and walked down the gentle slope. As they approached, a tall dark skinned woman walked out of the barn with a halter in her hand. "Hey Beca! How was the party?" She gave the producer a quick hug. "You must be Chloe." She extended her hand towards the redhead.

By this time, everyone but two of the grandmothers who stayed behind to watch the children were at the barn. "This is Monica everyone. She's on the equestrian team at the University of Georgia. Her brother works at 22-Records." Introductions were made all around. Beca turned to her wife and took her hands. "I know we didn't talk about this, but hear me out." She nodded to Monica who turned back towards the barn. Beca motioned to the barn. "I had this built because I knew how badly you wanted a horse. But things just got really busy, really quickly. There was never really a good time. But for Jake's birthday, I wanted to do something special for you, too."

Monica came out of the barn leading the most gorgeous strawberry roan mare. Chloe gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth, patiently waiting for Monica to guide the animal out the gate. She handed Chloe the lead rope as the redhead immediately lay her head on the horse's neck. "Beca?"

"This doesn't have to be your horse baby. She's for sale but here on temporary loan." Beca was being cautious because she wasn't sure of Chloe's final reaction.

"Baby, I love her. But I really don't know if I have time for another family addition right now. I have Jake, the studio job, lots of things."

Beca reached for her wife's face and turned her chin towards her. "Monica needs a place to board her two competition horses. She's willing to provide care in exchange for boarding. There's even a place in the barn she can sleep if needed."

"During off season, I'd like to also offer basic riding lessons and dressage lessons to your family. You don't know how appreciative I am of having a safe place to keep my horses." Monica's smile was warm and genuine. Chloe began to lead the strawberry roan around the paddock to get acquainted with her possible new horse.

"You compete on the collegiate level?" Aubrey was interested in Monica's equestrian background. They spent quite a bit of time talking about Monica's background.

Finally, Chloe returned to the group, grasped Beca's hand and smiled. "I want her Becs. I want this one. Her name is Ruby."

* * *

Since working with General Posen and Matthew to start Posen Security Industries, Stacie had been working a lot of hours. Aubrey understood this was due to the new company and knew her father wouldn't keep Stacie away from her family unnecessarily. One afternoon, Stacie came by the studio with some contracts that Aubrey needed to review for PSI to provide services to all 22-Records artists and events in Atlanta.

Aubrey and Chloe had already planned on going out for a late lunch. So Beca was able to finagle some time to spend some quality time with her best friend as well. Each set of friends took what opportunities they were able to keep their sanity and to make sure the friendships stayed important.

Stacie bit into a huge cheeseburger as grease dripped down her wrists. "Damn, just the way I like it. My wife doesn't let me eat like this. She says she wants Katie to have a mother for a long time!" Beca chuckled as she dug into her French Dip sandwich. After the two were a few bites in, Stacie piped up. "You upset my wife, you know?"

Beca dropped her sandwich. "What? What did I do?" Her concern was genuine because she would never do anything to intentionally hurt Aubrey.

"She's jealous." Stacie grabbed a wad of napkins and wiped her hands and face. "Did you know that she used to ride competitively growing up? Mostly in middle school and high school, but apparently she was pretty good. She showed me pictures of the ribbons and trophies at her mom's house."

Beca took a sip of her chocolate milkshake. "I didn't know that Stace. Chloe never even mentioned it, even after we got Ruby."

"I'm not sure Chloe knew. Anyway, Bree's been pouting a little, and I finally was able to drag it out of her – that she is a bit envious of Ruby, well not of Ruby – but of Chloe having a horse and Monica and well, everything."

"Shit Stacie. I'm sorry… You know I'd never disappoint your wife." Beca put her sandwich down and thought a bit. "Hey, Aubrey's birthday is next week, right? The 10th?" The taller brunette nodded. "Well this is easily solved. Let's get her a horse!"

"No, no, no! I can't let you do that Becs."

"Naw, you'd be doing it. Monica can take care of two of our horses as easily as one. Let me call her and see if she has some recommendations for Bree. I know they talked that night after the kid's party. I bet she'd pick out a great horse. Chloe loves Ruby!"

* * *

Stacie quickly warmed up to the idea of buying her wife a horse for her birthday and started messaging Chloe. She wanted to make sure her wife would appreciate the animal as a present.

[Stacie: Isn't it a bit impersonal Chloe?]  
[Chloe: OMG, no Stacie. We talk about Ruby all the time]  
[Chloe: I think she's a little jealous which I hate]  
[Stacie: So I should get her a horse for her birthday]  
[Chloe: Duh – YES!]  
[Chloe: I know Beca is asking Monica for recommendations like she did with Ruby but…]  
[Stacie: But what Chloe? I'm nervous enough as it is]  
[Chloe: What if you got her a palomino? Or is that too cheesy?]  
[Stacie: I thought you said I should get her a horse?]  
[Chloe: Seriously Stacie? A palomino is a basically a blonde horse]  
[Stacie: Ohhhhhhhhh okay. Neat]  
[Chloe: You have a lot to learn my friend]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stop Desire: Tegan and Sara  
> I'm Not Your Hero: Tegan and Sara
> 
> I hope the reasons for choosing Tegan and Sara songs are obvious – maybe not for their message, but for well, them!


	18. Code Orange

While Chloe had majored in music education in college, the emphasis had been on school age children. She made some appointments with some of her former professors to toss around some ideas about her plans about how to ensure younger children got a good start. She also spent a great deal of time researching online.

Much of the initial introductions included simply immersing the young children in musical environments – both at the day care and at home. Chloe made sure all the parents of day care children were well educated in what they should be doing to support the musical minds at home. The focus, particularly with the infants and toddlers, was musical games, singing to the children while rocking, and playing instruments for the children if the person was so musically inclined.

Musical experience at an early age was extremely important in a child's developmental process. The introduction to music and later to instruments would make a world of difference educationally as well. Chloe found research that showed the different ways learning to play an instrument at a young age improved the life of a child in so many ways. The obvious reasons included increased creativity, patience, and discipline. This was also coupled with surprising research that should a direct connection between increased math and reading skills.

The toddler classes spent a lot of time dancing to different genres of music. Children with stronger musical inclinations really started to shine here. The workers got a kick out of seeing the students dance to the different types of music. Often the day care teachers found themselves dancing right alongside with their students. Starting with the three-year-old groups, Chloe ran classes a bit more organized. Eventually the day care teachers could take over these lessons. The emphasis was on building musical skills like identifying beats, melody, and instruments.

For school age students, she decided to start small and later branch out. Chloe began to offer two types of formalized lessons – violin and piano. Piano students were expected to be at least five to six years old with some type of musical foundation. This age of students was already in school and becoming used to adult directed instruction which would help with the discipline required to learn piano. While she would accept violin students as young as three, she also encouraged these students to start around ages five and six. The younger students were not expected to become great performers immediately, simply to enjoy music and begin the process of learning.

Chloe had scaled down violins for the students of smaller stature. Individual violin lessons were held regularly weekly then once every other week, all students would come together for a group lesson. Piano lessons were all individual at this point. Because her students were school age, Chloe was limited on the time she could hold the lessons. School age students were scheduled in the afternoons and evenings, Tuesday through Thursday. Because Chloe would be working those three days, Beca could also stay later those evenings as well.

A long-term plan was mapped out which included taking on additional students and possible adding additional instruments. Because of Beca's influences as well as their parents, many of the older students expressed an interest in guitar. Chloe knew she could depend on Josh, her friend who taught strings at a local middle school and had worked with Beca before to help her with this as guitar was his expertise.

After Chloe's last lesson was over one evening, Beca had strapped Jacob into his car seat and the couple were headed towards their house. The brunette decided to do a check-in with her wife. "So Chlo, how are things going with the music lessons? Are you happy with your decision?"

The redhead looked over with a broad smile across her face. "Honestly Beca, I'm in heaven. They say that if you enjoy your job, you'll never work a day in your life. I mean, what's not to love about this? I get to spend time with my son, teach music to children, and work where my wife and best friend do." She reached over the console to grasp Beca's hand. "I think we definitely made the best decision.

* * *

**THREE YEARS OLD**

While Saturdays were Aubrey and Chloe's girls' afternoon, they had also gotten into the habit of also doing a mommy's lunch on Wednesdays before Chloe's music lessons. Stacie and Beca always had a play date with Katie and Jake on Saturdays while the kids spent Wednesdays in day-care. The routine was comforting and dependable.

This particular Wednesday, Beca's head was absolutely pounding from a stress headache. She had made the decision to fire a very promising intern because the girl's attitude… well it just sucked. Jody acted like she was entitled, and 22-Records should be blessed with her deigning to work there. Beca had seen this coming over the last few weeks and talked to Aubrey about the possibility of releasing Jody. The lawyer put the intern on notice and on a performance plan so that the studio was covered legally.

Beca asked Jody to pull some old recordings from the filing system, a typical intern task. The girl had the audacity to laugh at her – to laugh at Beca Mitchell – and flat out tell her no. "I'm here to learn how to produce records, not to be your damned grunt." Jody actually turned around and started to walk away from one of the studio owners!

That was the final straw. While the producer was steaming angry, Beca did her best to keep her calm and not let loose on the intern. She quietly told Jody that her internship with the studio was over and that she should leave for the day and to come back in the morning to fill out her exit paperwork with Mrs. Posen. Beca should have known something was up by the look that crept across Jody's face. Looking back, Beca could only describe the expression as evil.

After ensuring Jody had left the building, the producer went into her office to take some aspirin and fill out the incident report she knew Aubrey would ask for to make the firing official. She then went to the studio for a while to try to blow off some steam making music. Nothing seemed to help, so she decided to go get some toddler love which  _always_  made things better. Her son and god-daughter never failed to bring smiles to her face and joy to her heart.

Beca exited the back door and crossed the way to the day-care center. The toddler class was in the playground, but she didn't see Jake or Katie. Assuming they were taking a late afternoon nap, she let herself inside and went to their classroom which she found empty. She was silently pushing down the anxiety growing in her chest. She quickened her step and went back outside to talk to the toddler teacher. "Hey, where's Jake and Katie? I came to get some much-needed toddler attention." She grinned to try to allay a sinking feeling which had settled in her stomach.

The teacher's face went pale. "Errrr Beca... your intern came by about an hour ago and picked them up. Jody said she was taking them to meet their moms at the zoo." Beca's reaction told her that wasn't the right thing to say. "Mrs. Mitchell," the teacher was quite nervous at the look on Beca's face. "She had her security badge. I didn't think anything about it."

Beca couldn't speak. She felt she was going to throw up as the sweat began to bead on her forehead. She didn't know what to do, what to imagine. All she could to was to think about how she was going to tell her wife that their son had been kidnapped. Beca's heart was pounding and mind was racing as she started to pace back and forth, not knowing what her next steps were.

The teacher immediately reached over to the ledge and pressed a button which caused a twinkling tone to echo through the complex, one Beca had never heard before. Several other workers rushed out and hurried the children inside. She gently grasped Beca's arm and led her inside and pressed a larger button by the door. A scary clanking sound sounded, indicating the building had been locked down per security protocols put in place by PSI.

The director was already waiting for them right inside the door. While Beca was still in shock, the teacher was in tears. The director wasn't quite sure how a disgruntled employee had managed to kidnap two children – Beca and Aubrey's children on top of that, but that would be worked out later. When the alarm had sounded, she immediately had the security manual in hand. She knew the alarm would trigger for PSI to send a security team out, but the situation called for more drastic measures. She called the emergency extension and announced a Code Orange which meant that both heads of PSI would immediately make their way to the studio.

No color was left in Beca's face, and her body was quickly going into shock. The receptionist guided her to a couch and made her sip some water before she collapsed. She shook her head and realized that she needed to do something – that her kid was missing! "Stacie. I have to call Stacie." She fumbled with her phone before it went skittering across the floor.

The director retrieved the phone but wouldn't give it back to her boss. "I called a Code Orange Beca. Both Stacie and Matthew are on their way. Let them do their job. We'll find Jake and Katie. I promise."

"I need to call Chloe. Fuck. I can't believe I let that bitch go and didn't take her key card." Beca snatched at her phone which the director wouldn't let her have. Beca was slowly coming out of shock and moving into anger. At the same time, she was terrified she'd never see her child again.

The director was rapidly taking notes in the security manual. She knew from what the teacher had told her that the abductor was known and what she was wearing. She had the receptionist punch up the employee records and print out several pictures of Jody. They also printed out recent pictures of both kids. The electronic files were sent to the security team enroute as well as to the Atlanta Police Department. She then started asking Beca for a description of what the children had been wearing that day.

"Jake had on his superman shirt and blue jean shorts. Both the kids had Trolls backpacks. Katie's was Princess Poppy and Jake's was Branch." Beca buried her face in her hands, tears streaming down her face. "Please God let them be okay. Please."

Someone tried to open the outside door which wouldn't budge. The outdoor cameras showed that Chloe and Aubrey had returned from their afternoon. They each had keycards which they were trying to swipe, but neither would work because of the lockdown. So, they started banging on the door to be let in, not realizing what was happening.

Beca went to release the lock with her master keycard, but the director stopped her. "Beca you can't. The door isn't supposed to be opened after a lock-down is in place"

"Those are the mothers of the missing children – my wife and her best friend. Yes, I can and I will. My studio. My kids. My decision." She wrenched her arm away and released the door, almost barreling over Chloe as she launched herself towards her wife. She threw her arms around the redhead and began blubbering. "I'm so sorry Chlo. It's all my fault. I'm so sorry." Chloe didn't know what was going on only that Beca was more upset than she had ever seen.

About that time, several cars pulled up in the alley – tires screeching as a smell of burnt rubber drifted towards the group. Stacie came flying out of the parking area with Matthew not too far behind. "WHAT THE FUCK? YOU CALLED A CODE ORANGE THEN SENT ME PICTURES OF MY OWN CHILD?" She was panicking and livid at the same time, believing – well hoping – that a mistake had been made.

The director quickly explained that the Code Orange was real and that Jody had taken both kids after Beca fired her. "I'm so sorry Chloe." Beca was barely making sense as she tried to explain what happened. By this time, all four mothers and Uncle Matty had realized that the kids had been abducted. The director showed Matthew the check list with the steps that had been taken in a known abductor situation including notifying the police department and mobilizing the security team.

"Did Jody let the kids take their backpacks?" Stacie's question seemed bizarre at that particular moment.

The teacher nodded tearfully. "Jody tried to tell them they were going to the zoo to meet their moms, and they didn't need them, but Katie started to cry at the thought of leaving Princess Poppy."

Stacie grabbed her phone and punched it open to launch the Tile app. She pressed a button. Nothing. "I didn't think they'd be that close, but it was worth a shot." She turned to Matthew. "Make sure the department has put out a BOLO on her car and send a team to her address even though the police should be on their way."

Stacie's training was kicking in, perhaps as a defense mechanism to keep herself from shutting down, and she was slowly coming to her senses despite her daughter being snatched. She messed with the app a little more. "God, I hope this thing works." She wrapped her arms around Aubrey who was sobbing but was still searching on her phone as she looked over her wife's back. "We'll find them baby. I promise."

She explained that a Tile was hidden inside both of the kids' backpacks. She had purchased the devices to make it easier for when they lost their backpacks somewhere. She never dreamed she'd be using the Tile user network to find her child and god-child. Stacie put out the user network alert for both lost tiles and waited for another active Tile user to come within the correct distance.

Although it seemed like hours to the waiting mothers, the alert actually came within a few minutes. Both tiles had been found by another community user, and the location popped up on Stacie's phone. She took a screen shot of the area map and sent it to her search team as well as to the police contacts. Knowing that nobody was going to wait around patiently, Matthew shuffled all the mothers into his suburban and raced towards the park across town where the tiles had been located, hoping that the backpack were still with the children.

* * *

PSI's security team understandably worked a little more quickly than the Atlanta Police Department. They had more resources which were concentrated on specific needs – in this case finding two very important young children. They arrived well before the police with Matthew and the mothers not very far behind.

As crazy as she was, Jody knew that it was only a matter of time before she was caught. Jake was the son of one of the most high profile music producers in Atlanta, and Katie was Beca's god-daughter. What she wasn't prepared for was the show of force when she was found. She hadn't wanted to scare the children, only hurt Beca for firing her. She had taken them to an out-of-the-way park to let them play while planning what to do next.

When the security team came screeching up, the loudness of the tires was scary. Jake and Katie naturally ran to the adult who had brought them there and cowered by her side. Jody loosely wrapped an arm around each child's neck, just tight enough where they couldn't escape. Both PSI employees exited the car, guns drawn. "BACK AWAY FROM THE KIDS." She just laughed maniacally, knowing that they wouldn't shoot her. They slowly advanced until she warned them to stop.

Matthew's SUV pulled up and he begged the mothers to stay inside the vehicle until the situation was under control. "Please stay here. Trust me Bree. We don't know what we are going into, if she has a weapon or what." Matthew drew his weapon and positioned himself between his two team members. "You heard the men. Let the kids go Jody."

When Katie and Jake saw their uncle, they both cried out. "Uncle Matty, Uncle Matty." They started to run towards him, but the disgruntled intern tightened her grip around their necks. Now the kids were starting to get frightened.

"The kids aren't going anywhere. Have your guys back off before I hurt one of them." Jody wasn't sure how she was going to get out of this mess. But she knew as long as she had control of the children, she had the upper hand.

Without warning, Matthew yelled out, "OCTOPUS." Katie bent her head down and bit Jody's forearm which was wrapped around her throat while Jake stomped on the instep of Jody's foot which caused her to let go of both kids. The pair ran into the safety of their uncle's arms. He raced them back to his SUV and into the arms of their parents. Meanwhile the team members went flying after Jody, tackling her into the ground hard before cuffing her.

By the time the police got there, the incident was over. Jody had been subdued and taken into custody by PSI. When the investigators asked why her face was all bloody, Matthew simply said, "When we tackled her, she hit the ground – hard." He shrugged when asked to expand on her injuries. Matthew then went back to where the mothers and children were.

Jake wrapped himself around Matthew's legs. "Did we do good Uncle Matty, did we?"

Finally believing that her son was in her sight, safe and sound, Aubrey asked. "Yeah Uncle Matty, what was that  _octopus_  business?"

Matthew laughed. "You know how we military folks are – code words for everything. The kids and I have been practicing that if they should ever be in a situation like this. If I yell  _octopus_ , that's what they should do. You did good Jake. You, too, Katie. I think you may have broken her skin because her arm was bleeding!" He slapped Jake's palm and gave Katie a firm fist bump.

Stacie knew she shouldn't laugh, but she did as she lifted her tiny daughter up to kiss her on the face. "Nice job Katie."


	19. Interviews and Birthdays

After the release of her EP  _Loch_ é, Beca had gone on the interview circuit that summer. There were still some magazine shoots she was under contract to do; however, her life took a bit of a hard turn with studio expectations, Chloe's pregnancy, and the situation with Igor. When Beca returned from the talk show circuit, she had a long talk with Theo about Marcus – the P.R. person assigned to her by the agency they contracted with to handle her schedule.

"I don't think he's going to work out long-term Theo. It's not that he did a bad job per say; I just didn't get a good feeling from him." She thought about how to verbalize what she was trying to say. "I don't know. I just don't like him." After Aubrey looked over the signed contract, they decided to contact the company and ask for a reassignment. The new person seemed to be working out much better, especially when renegotiating prior commitments.

Beca paused to take a look at the large magazine covers that one of the interns had finally gotten around to hanging in the studio lobby. One was from her interview with Elle and the other Rolling Stone. When she had brought the proofs home to Chloe, her wife had squealed to no end.

Despite Beca's protests, she had various shots printed, framed and scattered around the house. Beca leaned back against the wall and remembered the shoots.

* * *

**_Flashback to the Elle Interview_ **

Elle had wanted Beca to wear a sexy outfit, sleek and dressy with lots of skin showing. When Beca saw the outfits they had laid out, she pretty much told them no – not her style. "Women can be sexy without looking like that. Leave something to the imagination!"

The stylists ended up choosing a white mock turtleneck, three quarter length top which cut off right below her breasts to show off her tight abs. There's the sex. This was coupled with faded blue jeans which made her look like an all-around neighborhood girl who just happened to be hot as hell. Bracelets adorned her wrists and large hoop earrings peeked out from behind her dark brown locks.

* * *

The interview was relatively simple and touched on the basics of Beca's career.

_This constantly-on-every-album singer, songwriter, producer, and Grammy award winner now is an open book which is a change from the Beca Mitchell of even a year ago. For the first part of her career, she was elusive and available only to her fans. The media and press were held at arm's length. It was tempting to write Mitchell off as just another A-lister who got lucky her freshman year in the music industry, but then we take a look at her music – particularly the songs she writes and the songs she sings. She has an old soul with a passion for reaching deep within herself to pull out her humanity to match with a melody to share with the world._

_Mitchell grew up in a single-family household in Seattle, Washington with a hard-working mother and an absentee father. Immediately upon graduating from University of Seattle– double major in Business Administration and Music with an emphasis on Recording and Editing, Mitchell was poised to jump right into a position with a major production company in Los Angeles. Mitchell's face grew somber as she shared with us how her mother passed away unexpectedly shortly after graduation, leaving her with little desire to continue in music._

_"I did what I was best at during that time of my life; I ran." Mitchell explained the journey she took over the next five or so years. "I joined the Atlanta police department, made some great friends, and found the love of my life." Mitchell's smile returned to her face as she talked about her now wife, Chloe and how they met. "An incident happened on the force. That along with a bit of circumstance, I was slowly dragged back into the world of music. And here I am."_

* * *

**_Flashback to Rolling Stone interview_ **

The other magazine cover was a bit more edgy, more Beca-esque. She was given free rein to dig through their wardrobe and somehow found some clothes that could have easily been found in her own closet. She donned a black tank top under a blue and black checked shirt and tight jeans tucked into black mid-calf boots.

Beca slapped on some thin leather bracelets on one wrist and a thick leather one on her other wrist. She pulled on her own pair of black aviator sunglasses. Slipping a borrowed pair of headphones around her neck, she leaned up against a wall with her own personal guitar slung down by her side.

* * *

_Beca Mitchell doesn't perform live often, mostly at song and album release debuts and talk shows. Typically, you'll see her dressed much the same as today and before she sings, she shakes her arms and bounces on her feet like an impatient boxer. Her smooth brown hair flows down her back with soft curls sometimes springing over her shoulders._

_Mitchell is relatively new to the industry and is considered a Triple Crown winner as a singer, song-writer and producer. Not even into her full second year in the music business, she already has a duo of Grammys gracing her shelf and is on track for several more. She writes and sings like a woman eternally in love which is something her fans seem to not be able to get enough of._

_Mitchell is an intriguing bundle of moods in conversation — warm, funny, reflective, challenging, proud — depending on the subject. She is mostly frank and often physically exuberant in making a point. We had lots of questions for Mitchell when we caught up with her after her photo shoot here at Rolling Stone._

_"Tell us Mitchell, you come across as 'the girl next door'. How do you feel this translates into your widespread success?"_

_"I'm not sure exactly. I do know that I made some decisions when I stepped into the public eye. I make a point to not turn sex into music or music into sex. I try to keep a mystique about me. Do my thing, play my music." Beca's voice rises with emphasis. "People will think that's sexy. But honestly, I don't care if people think I'm sexy. I want them to love my music."_

_The interviewer leaned forward with his next question. "Your fans absolutely love your music indeed! There's no question about that. And you treat your fans well, giving them sneak peak performances and secrets to your next obscure location. Some feel this is one of the secrets to your success."_

_The interview shifted to asking questions about Beca's background, her reintroduction into music and her family. They talked about Chloe and her recent marriage. "And I hear congratulations are in order. You and your wife recently welcomed a baby into the world. How cute is he?"_

_Beca's grin was ear-splitting as she pulled out her phone. "You should have never asked that question." She spent several minutes flipping through pictures on her phone showing off her red-head son who was the spitting image of her wife. "I love the little man. He's going to be a heart-breaker."_

_"So tell me about this mystery man in your life…" The interviewer started teasing Beca, and she was falling for it as her eyes widened in confusion. "Igor, I believe his name is?"_

_Beca threw her head back and laughed a deep belly laugh as she pushed up her left sleeve to display a thick ropey scar on her wrist. "This… is Igor." She ran her fingers up and down the healed wound. The interviewer pulled most of the story out of Beca as it provided some good relief._

* * *

_**FOUR YEARS** _

As the kid's fourth birthday rolled around, conversations were abundant at both the Mitchell and Posen households about school. Despite what had happened with the kidnapping and all the publicity Beca still received, Chloe still wanted Jake to go to public school. In fact, she wanted him to attend the school where she used to teach. "The Atlanta school system is solid Beca. I want Jake to grow up as normal as possible. Can we at least let him try it? If it doesn't work out or if you get uncomfortable, then we can look into private schools." She looked at her wife innocently, knowing if she kept on, she'd surely get her way.

Of course, where Jake went, Katie went since the two kids were peas in a pod. By this age, they started telling people that they were cousins. Sometimes it was Chloe and Aubrey who were sisters, sometimes Stacie and Beca. The stories they told were often outlandish, but they loved each other very much. Their parents knew the support would be a godsend as they started school. Hopefully neither child would get teased about having two mothers, but if they did, their 'cousin' would surely back them up.

* * *

Jake was sitting on the bar stool half-heartedly playing with the milk in his cereal. Chloe scooted her seat over to sit next to him. "What has my four-soon-to-be-five-year-old son so glum?" She grasped his chin and turned his face towards her and gave him a sloppy kiss. This made him grin, wipe his face off, then immediately go back to sulking. "Tell your mom."

"You and mama haven't asked what I want for my birthday. And Katie...all she talks about is a pony. But you don't even know what I want."

Chloe couldn't help to laugh at his chubby chin just starting to lose its baby fat jutting out in his best four-year-old pout. "Oh baby boy. I guess we haven't talked about it, have we?"

"K-K-Katie can't stop talking about how Aunt Aubrey and Aunt Stacie are getting her a pony." Jake was fixated on Katie's birthday wish, and the more he thought about it, the more upset he seemed to get.

"Jake, is that what you want for your birthday? A pony like your cousin?" The young redhead frowned as he wasn't sure how to answer now that now that his mommy had asked. "Ponies are a lot of work babe," Chloe said matter of fact.

"But Monica helps with Ruby and Tesoro. If I get a pony, can't she just help with it, too?"

"Baby, I pay Monica to help with Ruby, and Aunt Aubrey does with Tesoro. Can you do that?"

Jake looked at his mommy questioningly. "I have my allowance. Is that enough?"

Chloe chuckled. "I'll talk to mama about it, but what else is on your birthday list?"

He thought for a while and grinned. "How much work is a puppy? They are smaller than a pony. I bet I can take care of a puppy!"

"You sure are asking for big boy presents this year, Jake."

"I'm only turning five once Mommy." He puffed up his chest. "And I heard mama tell you how much she was going to miss me when I start school this year!"

* * *

It was late when Beca crawled into bed next to her wife. She snuggled up behind the redhead and kissed her softly on the back of the neck.

"Mmm hey baby. You're home." Chloe turned over to face Beca. "I missed you today."

"I miss you every day Bug. I didn't mean to wake you." Beca cupped Chloe's chin in a palm and kissed her gently as her wife pressed forward to strengthen the kiss. "But I'm glad I did."

"Your son hit me with his birthday list today." Chloe chuckled. Beca raised her eyebrows. "Legos, additions to his train set, and a pony. He said that's what Katie is asking for. I think he's so used to us raising them like twins that he felt obligated to ask for what she wants."

"How serious is he about this pony business?"

"I told him they were a lot of work and that his allowance might not be enough to pay Monica to help. So the wise guy asked for a puppy instead."

Beca immediately popped sitting up at this suggestion, her eyes bright with excitement. "A dog? He wants a dog?"

"Cool your heels baby. In a few days, it might be an alligator. Who knows with that boy? He's so you – through and through."

"Babe, remember when we were first getting to know each other?" Chloe nodded her head as she slipped her hand down and under Beca's arm. "Growing up, I always had a dog - up until I went to college." The redhead found Beca's bare skin beneath her shirt as the brunette's breathe hitched.

"Mmm I remember Grasshopper. Labs. I know. But do we really have to discuss this now?" Chloe leaned forward and found Beca's neck with her lips as her hand slid up to cup her wife's breast. She gently massaged, knowing she was quickly causing Beca to lose her concentration.

"Damn you feel good." Beca pushed her arm beneath Chloe then pulled the redhead on top of herself. She tucked her hands beneath the waist band her wife's sleep shorts and grasped her ass with both hands, pulling Chloe into her. Chloe abandoned Beca's neck to return to her mouth. She planted a kiss on either side of Beca's mouth then ran her tongue down the smaller woman's neck, across her throat, and back up the other side. "Yeah, we can talk about the puppy in the morning."

* * *

For the past several months, Katie had gotten into fairies. She showed up to the birthday party with fairy wings strapped onto her back. A few weeks ago, she had seen them in the store when shopping with Stacie. She convinced her brunette mama to buy them despite her birthday being right around the corner. "Mama," she pleaded. "Look I can paint them and decorate them myself. Then I can wear them to the party. Please?"

There was no way that Stacie could deny the request of the little girl who was a perfect image of her wife. Just as she with her wife, she couldn't say no to her daughter. Luckily this gave her some additional ideas as to what to get Katie for her birthday. Stacie flashed a smile at her blonde child and motioned for her to toss the wing kit into the cart. "But that's  **it** Katie. We came here to get your present for Jake."

When Jake saw Katie arrive wearing fairy wings, purple tights and mismatched fairy socks, a scowl crossed his face. Before either of his mothers could stop him, he raced back into the house. Chloe looked at Beca who just shrugged. "Let's give him a few minutes and see if he comes out."

Not much time had passed before the red-head birthday boy marched back outside. He had totally changed his outfit into one Beca didn't even know he had. Jake was now proudly decked out as Peter Pan. Dark green tights, light green top, and a green hat which had a red feather sticking out. He ran past his mothers and over to Katie as they started chattering about their clothes.

Aubrey leaned over to Chloe. "I didn't know this was a theme party. I feel so underdressed."

* * *

Corralling a whole slew of five-year-olds was quite a chore. The mothers had organized a series of games to keep the children busy but knew that it would soon be time to feed their guests. The guests of honor were asked to come to the outdoor kitchen where two presents were waiting.

Aubrey had a hand on each gift. "We thought you might want to open a present early. How does that sound?" Katie's eyes were wide in shock as she knew her mommy was normally the stickler when it came to present time.

"Yes, yes, yes!" They replied in unison, jumping up and down. When they were sure it was okay, they ripped into their respective presents. Each child had received a chef's hat and apron. Jake's was green, and Katie's purple – their favorite colors.

"Sweet!" Jake excitedly exchanged his Peter Pan hat for chef's hat. He recently had become interested in cooking with Beca, and this present was a definite hit in his book.

Stacie crouched in front of the kids. "We are about to start cooking lunch – on the grill and in the pizza oven. Of course, it's your birthday, and you don't haaaaaaaaaaaaaaave to help. But if you  _want_  to help up, scrub your hands and put your mothers to work!"

The birthday children decided they wanted to help make the pizzas, so some of the other parents took over the grilling duties. Stacie and Beca were in charge of helping Jake and Katie with the pizza oven since the pair were still a little short to put pizzas in and take them out of the hot brick oven. Chloe and Aubrey were surprised that more of the visitor children were choosing pizza over the hamburgers and hotdogs being cooked by their parents. They then realized this was because the pint-sized birthday boy and girl were cooking the pizzas!

* * *

After everyone had eaten their fill, the next order of business was presents. Everyone needed some quieter time to let their stomachs settle. Each time one of the kids would open something, they would show the group of guests then excitedly look over at their friend to see what would be unwrapped next. Instinctively they knew that what one of them got, both would get to play with.

Katie's got a lot of princess themed gifts which she quickly pronounced fairy toys. She also got craft kits, books, and a plethora of board games. Jake got many more Lego kits to fill out his collection and a few smaller additions to his train set. Undoubtedly both sets of parents and grandparents had some surprises waiting for the kids later on. Mitchell and Posen tradition was that parties were about the guests, and family time came later. Parents and grandparents typically gave larger gifts, and none of the mothers wanted their children's friends to feel as though anyone was trying to show off.

After all of the other presents had been opened, and the paper cleaned up – the cake and ice cream was brought out. Stacie pronounced that dessert time was better than presents. Katie's cake was strawberry with vanilla butter cream frosting and in the shape of a butterfly. (Because they are fairies in disguise.) Jake wanted chocolate, a lad after his mama's heart, but insisted on a guitar. (He was excited to start lessons if he did a good job in Kindergarten. Beca wasn't above bribery.) So his was perfectly shaped into the stringed instrument and covered in fondant. There was also strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla ice cream.

As the dessert part of the party was starting, all of the parents knew that they'd have quite a chore keeping the kids in line once the sugar began coursing through the youths' veins. Five was a pretty big birthday and the excitement was at an all-time high. A decision had been made by the Mitchell and Posen families to present their main gift at the party to maybe off-set some of the random hyper-ness. They each slipped another present into the gift area and waited for the kids to notice.

As the school aged party goers finished their dessert, they began running around playing a game of tag. Katie was the first to spy the extra presents. She looked around, almost as if she was afraid to say anything. "Jake. Jake!" Her voice was like a stage whisper. She tried to be nonchalant as she attempted to get the redheaded boy's attention.

Beca and Stacie were about to fall over laughing. "I think she is afraid of getting in trouble. What does Aubrey do to that child?"

The smaller brunette literally fell out of her chair when the older blonde pushed her. "We teach her to not be greedy and expect presents all the time."

"Hey," Beca retorted. "What Jake gets – Katie gets." She loved getting a rise out of Chloe's best friend. "Plus we all agreed on this one."

The two birthday children had a brief but serious pow-wow before gathering their wits and approaching the four mothers who were under the shaded area beside the pool. Katie had her hands tucked behind her back and sweetly said, "Mommy." Of course she addressed Aubrey. "I think Jake and I missed two presents."

"Do we need to wait until everyone has left?" Jake chimed in, also looking at Aubrey. He knew he could convince his parents to do anything, but Aubrey was the one with the final say in matters like this.

Stacie looked at her wife with an odd look. "Babe? Where did those presents come from?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Aubrey replied. "I thought you put them there." Stacie shook her head as the couple looked towards Beca and Chloe who both denied knowledge of the extra gifts.

Since both new five-year-olds were quivering with excitement but terrified at Aubrey's decision, Chloe decided to let them off the hook. "Katie, Jake – don't pay attention to them. They are just teasing you. Go open your other presents."

"Remember," Beca called after them. "This may be your  _big_  present." Chloe punched her wife in the arm. "What? I don't want them expecting a car later or anything."

The kids each grabbed their respective box and started chasing each other around the yard. Eventually they got tired and sat down to rip off the paper. As they tore into the boxes to reveal what was inside, Jake began to whoop and holler. He grabbed the contents and raced back to where his mommy and mama were sitting. "Really? Are you serious? Is this honest and for true?"

Beca smiled at him. "Honest and for true son."

By this time, Katie had made it to her mothers as well. She had tears streaming down her face. Aubrey immediately gathered the blonde child in her arms. "Sweetie? What's wrong? Is this not what you wanted?"

The little girl snuffled against her mommy's chest. "I-i-it's perfect." She latched her arms around Aubrey and squeezed as tightly as she could.

Both children were holding dog leashes, purple and green, of course. Jake's was substantially larger than Katie's but neither child had figured that out yet. Chloe and Stacie walked out of the house, each holding a puppy. By now, Jake was crying as well. His five-year-old self was having a hard time processing his emotions.

Chloe placed a gangly chocolate Labrador Retriever puppy in Jake's arms while Stacie kneeled down to carefully put a tiny apricot toy poodle in Katie arms. Jake immediately laid on his back and let the dark brown puppy crawl all over his stomach and lick his face. Katie sat cross-legged and gingerly held the tiny puppy.

Each mom sat on the grass with their child. Chloe grasped her son's chin gently in her hand to make him look at her. "Is this okay?" She cautiously asked her son. "You and Katie have different breeds."

He looked over at his best friend's puppy and vigorously shook his head yes. "Of course Mommy. This is a boy dog. Katie has a girl dog."

Chloe chuckled. "Actually baby they are both girl dogs."

Jake screwed up his face and rolled his eyes. "No Mommy – Katie has a GIRL dog. Cutsie and tiny, a fluff ball. My dog is more rough and tough. Could you see me and Mama walking a tiny poodle in the park? Everyone would laugh at us because we're badasses." He slapped his hand over his mouth then gave Beca a high-five.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note - there are three chapters and an epilogue remaining.


	20. Music Video

Chaos was the best way to describe the scene at the barn. Cameras, lights, and people had been around for several days making sure everything was ready for the on-location video shoot. Plus, the horses needed to be adjusted to having their schedule disrupted by so many different things. Monica had done an excellent job as she acclimated Ruby and Tesoro to the varied assortment of strange equipment they'd be exposed to for the music video shoot to go off well.

After Stacie surprised her wife with the palomino for her birthday several years ago, Aubrey had spent countless hours in the paddock refreshing her riding skills and taking advantage of Monica's gracious offer of additional riding lessons. Aubrey smiled as she thought back to that birthday half a dozen years ago right after Katherine's first birthday.

* * *

_"Why are you so nervous Stacie? It's just my birthday. You didn't forget, did you?" Aubrey teased the brunette a bit._

_Stacie turned around to show off her gray strapless dress which fell to right above her knees, leaving her long legs all but exposed. She motioned down her body. "Does it_ look _like I forgot your birthday?" She gave a tentative smile as she turned back around to finish touching up her mascara._

_"Then what's bothering you?" Aubrey draped her arms over her wife's shoulders and gave her bare skin a chaste kiss._

_Stacie didn't immediately answer. "It's just… this is your first birthday since Katie was born. I want it to be special. You deserve it." She hoped this answer would be good enough for Aubrey. Truth was, despite Chloe and Beca's assurances, she was nervous about giving her beautiful wife a horse for her birthday. Chloe was Aubrey's best friend, and Beca trusted Chloe. So by default, Stacie had to trust Beca._

_The four friends met up for dinner which had become the custom on each of their birthdays. When present time came, Stacie could feel the anxious butterflies jumping more in her stomach. Chloe insisted that Stacie give her gift first, so despite her nerves, the taller brunette presented a flat package to her wife._

_Prim as always, the blonde took her time separating the tape from the paper in order to save it and slit open the box. As she folded back the fancy tissue paper, she saw a leather bridle laying in the box. The bit was missing; however, there was no mistaking what the object was – especially to Aubrey since she had grown up riding horses._

_Chloe was expecting her best friend to start crying. Rather uncharacteristically, Aubrey began to laugh. "Stacie? My cute little vixen. Did you get me a horse for my birthday?" Stacie nervously nodded. "Is this why you've been so nervous?" Stacie nodded again._

_"I wasn't sure you'd like your present." Stacie ducked her head to her chest still unsure at her wife's reaction._

_"Like it? I love it! This is the best thing you could have given me." Aubrey looked over at her redheaded friend. "I guess I don't have to be jealous of you anymore."_

_Stacie had also gotten her wife a personalized Mother's Necklace which had entwined hearts with Aubrey and Katherine's birthstone embedded. "Just in case the horse thing didn't work out..." Beca and Chloe's gifts were all horse related since they knew Aubrey would love the gift._

_The women then discussed some of the horses Monica had picked out. Beca had several pictures on her phone which she showed Aubrey. "We can have Monica bring them out to the ranch, or we can go visit them so you can pick out the one you want."_

_In the end, Stacie was beyond relieved that her wife was so happy. Aubrey indeed picked out a palomino mare. Once she had found the one she wanted, she promptly named it Tesoro. "Tesoro means 'treasure' in Italian, and treasure is always golden."_

* * *

Theo had wanted to shoot a music video for Beca's newest single before they released the song since she hadn't released a single of her own in so long. The song and video would drop at the same time. "My life has been a bit busy Theo. I've been producing the crap out of other musicians."

"True, but your fans want  _you_." Theo wasn't trying to be pushy. He just didn't want Beca out of the spotlight for too long. Otherwise he'd never get her back to singing again. After a great deal of planning, this music video and accompanying was going to be exactly what Beca's fans had been clamoring for.

All of the key people in Beca's life were going to make appearances in the video – Chloe, Aubrey, Stacie, and both kids. Jake and Katie were insisting that Coco and Mary Puppins be in the video, too. But this idea was quickly squashed much to the children's dismay.

Chloe had always been more comfortable riding Ruby western style while Aubrey was an English rider by nature. Since their personalities were so different, this worked out well for the video. Chloe donned a deep green three quarter length Barbour waxed cotton jacket with a soft corduroy collar and wrists which folded back to plaid. The jacket fell over deep purple pants which ended right over brown leather ankle boots. Aubrey wore a deep blue Ariat English riding jacket over a white high neck button up shirt. She had black knee high riding boots pulled up over tan riding pants.

Both women had spent several days making sure their tack was clean and polished. Monica saddled up both horses and made sure they were ready to go while Aubrey and Chloe were finishing with dress, hair, and make-up. Once the college friends were ready, the crew began to shoot their part.

Because the animals were involved, the director wanted to get their main part done first so the horses could have a break just in case they needed to come back to re-shoot parts of the video. The director had Chloe and Aubrey walk the length of the paddock, then trot, then lope – both together and separately. As well there were a few other segments that were filmed as well.

Stacie had on a faded brown leather bomber jacket over a red shirt and dark jeans. She wore a straw cowboy hat and insisted on chewing on a long piece of hay, trying to blame it on the kids, but the kids said she started it. Both the kids were dressed up, too. Jake in western attire like Chloe and Katie in English like Aubrey.

Soon all of the shoot was complete except Beca's portions. Two days later and the director announced she had enough footage to hand off to the editor to begin the post-production process of sound editing, mixing, sound track creation – all of the things that make up the end production. The director worked very closely with the editor to make sure that the final product shined. Beca was uneasy because she had helped with the storyboards for the videos and wanted things to meet her vision and her expectation. She always had her hands in every bit of the production of a song, and letting go for the music video was a struggle.

* * *

**_VIDEO FIRST WATCH_ **

22-Studios decided to have a private viewing of the first watch of the video. Beca was scheduled on the Ellen show the next day for the World Premiere of the video and the single release. Her Ellen appearance had been successful before, and Beca was becoming superstitious about routines that worked well.

The music video started with some instrumental keyboard music with Chloe and Aubrey riding in the paddock. Beca's clear, strong voice rang out. The camera panned out to show Beca walking towards the paddock playing her guitar.

_It's been said and done/Every beautiful thought's been already sung/And I guess right now, here's another one/So your melody will play on and on/With the best of them/You are beautiful/Like a dream come alive, incredible/A centerfold miracle, lyrical. You saved my life again/And I want you to know._

She leapt up on the fence and balanced herself on the corner post as she began to play her guitar. Of course this took several takes to get just right, and her wife was terrified the singer would fall and break her arm again. She pleaded with Beca to sing from the ground, but the tiny brunette insisted on standing on the fence for effect.

_I love you like a love song, baby/I love you like a love song, baby/I love you like a love song, baby/And I keep hitting repeat-peat-peat-peat-peat_

As Beca sang the chorus again, she had her guitar slung to her side and was pointing to Chloe who had halted Ruby a few yards away in the arena. Truth be told, it was difficult to tell whose smile was larger – Beca's or Chloe's. The camera flashed to Stacie who was leaned against the fence with one arm around Katie who was sitting on the top rail to watch her mommy. Jake was standing on the other side of Stacie closer to Beca with his hat pushed back on his head watching his mama sing. Everyone's attention was on a different person.

Chloe and Aubrey both rode up to the fence where Stacie and the kids were standing.

_Constantly/Girl you play through my mind like a symphony/There's no way to describe what you do to me/You just do to me_

Aubrey leaned down and placed her hand on her wife's face to give her a kiss on the cheek. Since her daughter was sitting on the rail, she was able to reach her daughter's chin and gently caress her face. With a kiss to the top of her daughter's head, Aubrey rode off.

_What you do/And it feels like I've been rescued/I've been set free/I am hypnotized by your destiny/You are magical, lyrical, beautiful you are/And I want you to know, baby_

Chloe reached out to her son who had crawled up to the top rail. With help from Stacie, Chloe pulled him up to sit in front of her in the western saddle. She wrapped one arm around her son and urged Ruby into a fast gallop around the paddock. Jake had his arms spread eagle, waving them in the wind, as his hat went flying off.

_I love you like a love song, baby/I love you like a love song, baby/I love you like a love song, baby/And I keep hitting repeat-peat-peat-peat-peat_

She then slowly rode over to the corner where Beca had wrapped back around to the final verse.

_No one compares/You stand alone to every record I own/Music to my heart/That's what you are/A song that goes on and on_

The height worked out perfectly for Beca to kiss both her wife and her son before the last round of the chorus.

_I love you like a love song, baby/I love you like a love song, baby/I love you like a love song, baby/And I keep hitting repeat-peat-peat-peat-peat_

Once the final notes faded, Chloe had moved Ruby into position. Beca slipped onto the back of the strawberry roan horse behind the saddle, and the Mitchell family rode off together.

* * *

"Welcome back to the show, Beca Mitchell!" Ellen greeted Beca with a strong hug before rubbing the top of Beca's head. "You are just so tiny and cute." The singer rolled her eyes and took her seat on the couch. "Wow! It's been a month of Sundays Beca. Glad to have you here again." After the two caught up on random life things like Beca's new studio, her new wife. Then a picture of Jake flashed on the screen. "Oh and a new son!"

"Yeah, that's my boy." Beca was grinning from ear to ear. Beca also talked about her newest release,  _Love You Like a Love Song_. "The single came out today. And I believe you," she pointed to the audience, "are going to be treated to the World Premier of the music video." Ellen and Beca turned to see the largest screen as the video started.

Once the video ended, Ellen handed a tissue box to Beca who was crying. "I swore I wasn't going to do this on television. I've seen the video several times, and it chokes me up every time."

"It's a powerful video to accompany an emotional song Beca. In fact, all the songs you sing are this expressive. You seem to have a knack for putting your heart on a platter to share."

Beca sniffed as she dabbed the remaining tears from her eyes. "You can thank Chloe for that."

"Everyone in the audience is going home with a copy of the new single,  _Love You Like a Love Song._ Beca Mitchell everyone."

* * *

_**ELEMENTARY SCHOOL** _

Just as Chloe had predicted, Jake did great in public school. Her former colleagues respected her and looked out for Jake and Katie alike. A lot probably had to do that she tried to volunteer with the music teachers at least a few times a month on Mondays and Fridays when she didn't have classes of her own at the studio. Regardless, she certainly didn't mind giving back much like Beca had done when they first started dating.

After graduation from Kindergarten, Jake started asking about guitar lessons. He had fulfilled his end of the bargain and had a perfect school year which says a lot for a rambunctious six-year-old who had so much of Beca in him that it wasn't even funny.

Since Chloe was running low on slots at the school and honestly guitar wasn't one of her strong suits. Plus, she wasn't sure how well it would work out teaching her own son. The redhead approached Josh, her middle school teacher friend to see if he'd be willing to pick up a few private lesson slots at the studio – Jake being one of them. He took on four students to start with the option to bring on more.

Jake had inherited both the Mitchell and Beale size which meant he was quite small and wiry for his age. So Josh recommended a smaller guitar for him. He pouted that he wasn't able to use one of his mama's, but when Chloe reminded him his good behavior had to continue, he quickly straightened up.

Katie was having a difficult time deciding if she wanted to learn to play an instrument or to take dance lessons. After talking to Chloe about the importance of learning an instrument to brain development in children, Aubrey and Stacie decided to have Katie begin to learn an instrument. Once she got settled in her lessons, if she still wanted to take dance, she could do both. Her cousin begged her to take guitar lessons so they could be "twins", but Katie had always been mesmerized when Chloe played the violin and chose that instrument.

* * *

Music lessons began over the summer and progressed as the new school year began. Later in the year, when Jake found out Katie was going to start dance lessons, he threw a temper tantrum. He was sitting in his mama's office at the studio kicking at her desk. Beca had sent Chloe across the hall to Aubrey's office because she knew how sensitive the redhead was to dealing with their son when he was being difficult. It was easier for Beca since she saw so much of herself in him.

"Jacob Preston Mitchell! What is going on?" As much as it hurt her, Beca tried to keep her voice gruff and stern. Hearing his mama talk use his full name made Jake stop his crocodile tears and stop kicking at his mama's desk. He crossed his arms and began to pout. While better than screaming and crying, this behavior still was not acceptable in the Mitchell household. "Use your words son."

"It's not fair," he mumbled.

She knew what he meant, but Beca wanted him to verbalize his issues. "What's not fair?"

"I hate her!" Jake yelled out.

Beca glared at her son; this time the stern voice came easily. "Hate is not a word we use in this family Jacob Preston. I'm going to give you to the count of three to tell me what's going on… One… Two… Thr"

"Katie. She gets to take violin lessons AND dance lessons." His arms were still crossed but he seemed to be cooling off a bit.

"Son, I know you and Katie have grown up together, and you think of yourselves as cousins – siblings even. But you two don't always get to do the same things." Jake just stared at his mom.  _God I've raised a spoiled brat,_ Beca thought as she tried to come up with a way to get out of this. "Are you telling me you want to take dance lessons?" Internally she was smirking because she knew Katie had started with ballet, and Jake had been teasing her about her tutu. "I mean we can go shopping for you a tutu son."

"Mooooooooooooooom." Jake was trying hard to stay mad at his mama and not get the giggles. "I guess I don't want to take dance." He thought for a minute. "Know how you made me earn guitar lessons?" His mama nodded. "What if I earned something else – like soccer maybe?" His voice had an inflection at the end of the question.

"I'll do all my chores without complaining," Jake announced. Beca laughed.

"Your chores are expected son. How about you do all your chores without complaining, and we add a chore?" He scowled at her knowing that with his mama, any added a chore would be a big one. "Help Monica muck out the stalls in the barn…"

"Moooooooooooooom. That's a lot. I'm only seven."

"Once a week on weekends. For now." Beca had always worried that she and Chloe hadn't give him enough responsibility. Right now his only job was taking care of Coco and making sure the trash was taken out. "Don't miss a weekend until soccer season starts, and you can play soccer. Once season starts, we can renegotiate."

Jake did a fist pump as he exclaimed, "YES!" He ran around the desk and crawled up in Beca's lap to put his arms around her neck. "I love you, mama." He gave her a wet little boy kiss on the cheek. Her heart melted as she savored the feeling knowing that it wouldn't be long before he wouldn't do that anymore.

He went racing out of the office to find Katie and tell her the good news as Beca went across to Aubrey's office. She threw herself on the couch and threw her arm over her eyes with an exaggerated sigh. "Kids!" She shared the deal she had made with Jacob hoping that it would be enough to convince Chloe she had done the right thing.

"I must say I'm quite impressed Mitchell. Those stalls are hard to clean."

"Knowing our son, he'll have Katie out there helping."

* * *

_**MIDDLE SCHOOL** _

Time seemed to fly as Katie and Jake made their way through their elementary years, and before their parents knew it – the kids were in middle school. While many of the students came from the same elementary school, other campuses fed into this middle school. Both children adjusted well to being in the older environment, and things seemed to be going okay.

One afternoon, Chloe got a call at the studio saying she needed to come pick Jake up. The office would not tell her why but encouraged her to bring her wife. Luckily Theo was able to clear some things off of Beca's schedule to allow her to go to the school as well. "Is he sick?" Beca was concerned about her son.

"They didn't say. In the past when he's been ill, they've always told me. I'm worried that they asked both of us to come." As a former school teacher, Chloe had an idea about what was going on but didn't want to needlessly worry her wife.

Upon arrival, they were directed to the assistant principal's office to wait. Beca whispered to her wife, "why do I feel like I'm in trouble again?" This earned her a sharp jab in the side of her arm. Soon the assistant principal called them both into his office.

"Mrs. and Mrs. Mitchell, I hated calling you this morning with Jake's perfect record, but something happened today that we can't tolerate. Board policy requires me to suspend Jake for three days."

"Suspend my son? Three days?" Chloe raised her voice which was quite uncharacteristic for her. "For what?"

"Fighting."

Beca placed a calming hand on her wife's wrist. "Sir, our son doesn't have a violent bone in his body. Surely you must have the wrong child. What happened?"

"How about we hear from your son?" The assistant principal went to retrieve their son.

Chloe turned to her wife. "Fighting? Our Jake? No!"

"Let's hear his side before we jump to conclusions Bug."

Soon the principal returned with the sullen redhead in tow. His jeans were scuffed, t-shirt ripped, and he was sporting what would soon be a good sized shiner. "Jake!" Chloe did everything she could to run over to comfort her son.

Beca crossed her arms. "Jake – talk."

"Gee mom. It was Billy. He's such an as…. jerk. We were at lunch, and I was looking for Katie to talk about our science project. It's the only class other than choir we have together. Katie was crying." Jake clenched his fists tightly, his anger still quite evident.

"He called Aunt Aubrey and Aunt Stacie dykes and were teasing Katie for having two moms. I tried to keep my cool like you taught me. Ugh, I had my arm around Katie, and she couldn't stop crying. Mom, she's my best friend in the whole, wide world." Jake's frustration was now turning to tears. "I told Billy that sometimes families aren't all the same, that I had two moms, too. He said, 'well then your moms are dykes, too'." He took a deep breath. "After that, I just saw red. I guess I jumped him. Next thing I knew, a teacher was pulling me off of him." Jake crossed his arms and waited for the inevitable butt chewing he was about to get.

Chloe and Beca were both in shock, not quite sure what to say. Beca spoke first. "Sir, can we excuse Jake for a bit?" After Jake left the room, Beca said, "I know nothing justifies attacking someone. But I have to ask what the school policy is on bullying?"

"And discrimination." Chloe added. "What's happening to the other boy – Billy?"

The principal steepled his fingers on his desk. "We aren't here to talk about Billy. We are here to talk about Jake. As I said earlier, Jake is being suspended for three days per board policy."

"And Billy? By the looks of my boy, Billy fought, too. And he practically started it all by gay bashing my god-daughter. Seems to me that Jake was just standing up for her." Beca was pissed.

"Billy will be suspended for three days as well."

Chloe's ire light up much like the fire-red color of the hair on her head. "What? Come on! He gets the same punishment as Jake? What about the bullying and gay bashing?"

The principal was obviously uncomfortable as he shifted in his seat. "Billy's parents have already picked him up to take him to the doctor. He probably has a broken nose. You'll be lucky if a lawsuit doesn't come out of this."

With this, Beca leapt up. "Lawsuit? Who cares! Do you have any idea who I am? I have more money than my grand-children's grand-children can spend."  _Okay maybe that's an exaggeration, but it sounded good._ Beca thought to herself. _I'm pissed._  "How about I call my public relations manager as soon as I walk out of your school? He'll have the press at my studio by the time my family arrives. We'll see how tolerant Atlanta is with your non-existent non-discrimination policy." She reached for Chloe's hand and they turned to the door to collect their son and leave.

"Wait. Please! Let me contact Billy's parents. Maybe we can all sit down and have a talk about things. I guess all I was thinking about was the fight."

"So you forgot about the feelings of two thirteen-year-old kids with lesbian parents? Katie must have been crushed. You have twenty-four hours, then I'm talking to the press." Beca went towards the door then spun back around. "Oh, and I'd like to see our god-daughter before we leave."

When Katie was brought to the office, she was obviously terrified that she was in trouble. Her stance relaxed some when she saw Beca and Chloe. "Aunt Beca, Aunt Chloe, please don't be mad at Jake. It wasn't his fault. Billy was saying mean things about my parents." The blonde child was just as sensitive as Aubrey, and her tears were breaking Chloe's heart. The redhead wrapped her arms around Aubrey's mini-me.

"It's okay baby. We aren't mad Jake or you. But we do need to sit down and have a family talk about everything. I just wanted to let you know that we are taking Jake back to the studio. Let the adults take care of this, okay?" Katie assured her god-mothers that she'd be okay to finish out the day at school.

* * *

Jake had his traditional sullen look on his face as they rode back to the studio. He had his arms crossed and was slouched down in the back seat of the car. "I suppose I'm grounded, right?" He pulled his phone out of his backpack and tossed it into the front. "There – now you don't have to ask me for it." When neither mother said anything, the silence frustrated him.

"Just please, don't tell me how disappointed you are in me. I stood up for Katie. And if it happens again, I won't change a thing." More silence. "MOM, MAMA – talk to me." His surly voice had now turned whiney, just like the moody teenager he was.

"Your mom and I need to talk about things before we decide what to do." Beca tossed his phone back to him. "We will talk, then we need to have a big family meeting with the Posens." She looked at him through the rear view mirror. "But… now this may get me slapped by your mom, and I'll deserve it. I'll tell you one thing right now. Even though we both know fighting is wrong and it's NEVER the answer, I'm proud of you, son."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love You Like a Love Song: Selena Gomez
> 
> Two chapters and an epilogue remaining. I'm starting to get sad!


	21. High School

As days faded into weeks and weeks into years, Katie and Jake finally made it to high school. While they did have choir together, the commonalities ended there. Jake tried out for the soccer team and made it on the junior varsity team while Katie successfully made it on the dance-drill team. The kids were still as close as ever and had many of the same friends. They hung out together as often as possible because that's what best-friend-cousins do.

One weekend Jake had an out of town soccer tournament. His parents always made sure that at least one of them, if not both, watched every game. Beca decided to stay home that weekend to take care of Coco. While the chocolate Lab was fourteen, she still had some mobility but needed a family member home to care for her – not a stranger.

Because of her age, the veterinarian prescribed her daily low dosage pain medicine and muscle relaxers to help her with the inevitable aches and pains that came with a large dog nearing the end of her life cycle. Coco always took her pills for Jake and Chloe without a problem, so Beca wasn't concerned.

She grabbed the smooshy Pill Pockets and called Coco over. Coco eased down next to Beca with her head on Beca's leg. The brunette spent some time petting the elderly dog and telling her how much she was loved. Beca shook out one of each pill and tore off pieces of the Pill Pocket to wrap around them. The first pill was the muscle relaxer which Coco took without an issue. Beca knew the second pill was more bitter so she used a larger chunk of the Pill Pocket. She was relieved when Coco took the treat – until the brown dog spit out the pill. Of course she had eaten all the treat off but had refused the pill. Beca tried a larger treat to no avail.

"What the actual fuck?" Beca got up and went into the kitchen. Coco obediently followed her, wagging her tail and sat next to her owner's mother. Beca got out a slice of cheese. Fail. A piece of ham. Fail. Finally, Beca crushed the pill between two spoons and mixed it with a little canned dog food and plopped the medicated food on top of fresh food. She sat the bowl down for Coco who gobbled everything in the bowl. Except the medicated food.

A frustrated Beca called her wife. "Hey baby. How's the tournament going?" "Yeah most everything is fine here. Hey, what's the secret to getting Coco to take both her pills. I got the muscle relaxer down her, but she refuses to take the pain killer." Beca relayed everything she had tried so far. After she hung up with Chloe, she retrieved a bottle of syrup from the pantry. Taking the medicated wet food, she liberally poured some syrup on the food and mixed it well. Coco seemed to enjoy this and gobbled every bit. Beca kneeled next to the elderly dog. "I still love you Coco even though you are a pain in the ass sometimes." Coco gave Beca a sticky, slobbery lick on the cheek and went to lay down in her padded bed.

* * *

_**Junior Year** _

"Jake honey, can you come help Mom with her suitcase?" Chloe knew she didn't need this many clothes, mainly because she'd probably go shopping in Denver, but she always over-packed out of habit. Her bag was heavy, and it was easier to call her 16-year-old son to carry her bag down to the car than it was to drag it to the dumb-waiter.

The redheaded lad trotted up the stairs, retrieved his mother's bag and gave it to the driver waiting outside. When he returned, his mother motioned him to sit next to Katie on the couch. Aubrey whipped two sheets of paper from two folders and gave one to each teen. "Let's go over the rules one last time kids." She pointedly ignored the eye rolls Katie and Jake gave her. "1. All regular rules apply including curfew and driving after dark. 2. School is  **not**  optional. 3. No more than one guest each and not on a school night. 4. No parties. 5. If you need absolutely anything, call Uncle Matty. He's probably going to come out and check on you anyway."

"Mom." Katie looked at her mother and waved the paper around. "Jake and I are going to be okay. We know you trust us, or you wouldn't leave us here alone." She looked at her cousin who was nodding his head.

"Yeah Aunt Aubrey. You and mom deserve a break from Atlanta. Go have fun at the spa. Five days of rest and relaxation without annoying teenagers." He stuck his tongue out at Katie. "Love you Aunt Aubrey, Mom."

Aubrey handed them the folders which held all of their emergency contact information as well as contact information for Beca and Stacie who were in Toronto. Chloe tugged on her friend's arm. "Come on Bree. We'll miss our flight if you fret any longer."

The kids stood at the door and waved at their mom's until the car was out of sight. Katie looked at her best friend and grinned. "Welp, it's Tuesday afternoon. We are free teenagers until Monday morning!"

Jake wrapped his arm around the blonde's shoulder. "Yeah, but you know what sucks?" Katie looked at him and shrugged. "We are good kids." They both burst out laughing.

* * *

Friday afternoon rolled around, and Jake and Katie were pumped for the weekend. Some great movies had been released, but Katie was worried that with dinner and a movie on Friday since they wouldn't be able to get back to the ranch before dark. Instead, they both invited a friend out for a sleep-over.

Jake had made the varsity soccer team this year and asked the captain of the soccer team, Pete who was a senior. He and Pete weren't really close friends, but Jake longed for acceptance on the varsity team and hoped this would be a start towards that. Katie was actually now co-captain of the dance squad and asked her fellow co-captain to the sleep over. She and Julie had taken dance lessons together since they were in third grade and were extremely good friends.

When Pete arrived, he was impressed as he looked around the house and grounds. "Yo Mitchell, this place is dope." Jake grinned as he showed Pete the room he'd be staying in. Julie had spent lots of time at the Mitchell ranch before. She always slept in Katie's room with her blonde co-captain.

Jake and Pete quickly changed into their swim trunks and headed out to hit the pool. After watching a movie, Katie and Julie decided they wanted to spend some time in the water as well. Since they were all four outside, Jake brought up dinner. "We have several choices for dinner guys. I'm a mean cook – we can do burgers, steak, or pizza. Or there's always delivery."

The group decided on homemade pizza, so Jake hopped out of the pool, wrapped a towel around his waist, and went to the outdoor kitchen to pull out the ingredients Beca had made sure were well stocked for when Jake and Katie wanted to cook. Katie crawled out of the pool and pulled on her robe to start the fire in the pizza oven. The two worked well together and were quickly in their own zone as they started to fix dinner.

Jake turned around to ask their guests what toppings they wanted and froze. Pete had Julie pinned up against the side of the pool, his arms wrapped around her, kissing her rather hard. The redhead nudged his friend and motioned to the couple in the pool and raised his eyebrows in question. Katie shrugged, so she called out. "Hey love birds, what toppings do you want on your pizza?"

Pete broke away and backed up from Julie who had a strange look on her face as she used the back of her hand to wipe off her mouth. Pete's smirk held tell-tale hints that this may not have been a mutually desired kiss. Julie quickly got out of the pool and rushed over to help fix the pizzas. Pete followed her out of the water and opened the refrigerator. "Score! Mitchell, you didn't tell me your mom left you beer." He reached out and grabbed a can.

"Whoa there." Jake jogged over and snatched the can from his hands before he could open it. "That beer isn't for us. You know we aren't old enough. Be respectful." He glared at the soccer captain as he returned the beer to where it belonged.

"Geesh, party pooper Mitchell. Aren't you a goody two-shoes?" Pete walked through the kitchen and swatted Julie on the butt as he passed on his way to wander around the grounds of the ranch.

Katie hugged Julie and asked, "Are you okay?" When the dance co-captain nodded, she looked at Jake. "Your friend is a real douche Jake."

"I'm starting to see that. Sorry Julie."

* * *

The rest of the evening was fairly uneventful as Pete kept his hands to himself as the teens enjoyed the pizza. Katie and Julie went to Katie's room for manicures and pedicures. Jake and Pete stayed downstairs to play Call of Duty.

Jake made a point to get up early the next morning and make pancakes. He knew that blueberry pancakes were Katie's favorites. He was excited to be able to have breakfast finished by the time the girls woke up.

His blonde best friend came racing down the stairs. "I  **KNEW**  I smelled bacon. OMG, Jake, you made pancakes. Have I told you lately that you are my best friend in the whole world?" His grin was broad as he motioned for the two girls to have a seat as he gave them each a full plate of breakfast goodies.

About an hour later, Pete came dragging downstairs. The three other teens were chilling on the couch. Jake hopped up and trotted to the kitchen. "Dude! You sleep hard. Anyway, I saved you some pancakes." Pete poured himself a cup of coffee which he quickly downed.

"Pancakes are for losers man." Pete grabbed his bag which he had tossed by the bottom of the stairs. "Thanks for asking me over Jake. Cool digs. Catch you later." And with that, he was gone.

Katie, Jake, and Julie sat for a moment just looking at each other. Finally, Katie spoke, "Okay, he's weird. Jake do you really like him, consider him a friend?"

"Naw, I think I just wanted him to like me – as an in to the varsity soccer team I guess. What a jerk! Sorry Julie."

"At least he's gone." Katie's voice was chipper. "So what's the plan for today? There are some awesome movies out. I think we should grab lunch in the city and catch a matinee. Maybe there's someone else you'd like to invite Jake because Pete is NOT coming back."

* * *

Jake ended up calling a guy he often jammed with in their unofficial band – Jeremy – who had been a friend for a long time and wasn't a dirtbag like Pete. The foursome went to lunch and caught a movie. After stuffing themselves with movie snacks, none of the teens were hungry. Katie suggested they stop by her and Jake's favorite ice cream shop to pick up an assortment of quarts to take to the ranch to enjoy later.

Despite having spent a lot of the previous evening in the pool, the teens all gravitated to the pool again. Jake docked his phone onto the outdoor stereo system so they had music to dance with while splashing around in the water.

"Hey Jake." Katie called out to her cousin. "I like this playlist! I always have." He gave her a thumbs up as he continued to chase Jeremy around, trying to dunk him. "And I just realized the commonality between all these songs." The redhead teen beamed.

Curious, Jeremy and Julie stopped splashing around, listening for the story behind the playlist. "I didn't think it was obvious." Jake replied.

Jeremy slapped at the water, sending a huge wave over his friend. "Come on, someone let us in on the secret."

"My mom wrote all these songs and produced most of them. I've scattered in some of the songs she has released herself, but I thought I'd be less obvious if I used more that she wrote but didn't sing." His pride for his mother's accomplishments was apparent on his face.

"Wow," Julie said. "I know she was a pretty well connected in the music industry. But I didn't realize all of these were hers."

"She doesn't like to make a big deal of things. I know a lot of it has to be because of me – she and my mom keep a low profile to shield. They wanted me to have much of a normal life as possible." Jake stopped talking and cocked his head sideways, listening. "Katie, I think we have guests."

* * *

Katie had her phone in hand and looked at Jake. He nodded his head and she immediately dialed. "Uncle Matty, ummm we kinda need you out at the ranch." She paused. "We'll explain when you get here." … "Thanks Uncle Matty, oh and can you not call our moms just yet?"

Uncle Matty arrived in about fifteen minutes to a house full of teens. Music was blaring, and beer and alcohol bottles were scattered everywhere. Matt been having a business dinner with an ex-Marine who was interviewing to join PSI. As he realized what was happening, he was glad to have an extra body. A plan was developed to safely get the teens out of the house.

Matt turned off the music and began to shout at the top of his lungs with his loud military-style voice, "GET OUT. EVERYONE GET OUT NOW." He began to grab kids by their collars and toss them towards the door. The other man stood by the front door to make sure that teens had a sober driver with them. Otherwise he collected their keys and made them order an Uber. "You can pick up your car tomorrow." He also confiscated any alcohol the kids tried to sneak out with.

One boy was just intoxicated enough to challenge the man. "You can't keep my car dude." He shoved the ex-Marine which was an obvious mistake. The man quickly physically subdued the drunk teen, holding his arms behind his back and located the phone in his pocket. Since he had the kid immobilized the kid's arms, he used the teen's thumb to unlock the phone and quickly scrolled through the contacts to find the one labeled "Mom".

"Hi Mrs. Smith. My name is Samuel and I work for Posen Security Industry. (This was a stretch at this point, but he didn't think Matt would mind.)" He listened for a moment. "No ma'am, your son is okay. I am at a client's house trying to break up an impromptu teenage keg party. My professional opinion is that he is in no shape to be driving. I gave him the option of ordering and Uber and picking up his car tomorrow, but he's refusing." He listened a bit longer. "Yes ma'am. Here's your son."

Keeping a firm grip on the teen's arm, he held the phone up to the kid's ear. After listening a bit, he responded. "Yes Mom. I understand. Okay Mom. I'll be home soon." After the mother had disconnected and Samuel returned the phone back to the kid, the kid ordered his Uber. "Sorry man. I never meant to disrespect you. And my mom said to tell you thanks."

After about forty-five minutes, all of the kids had been cleared off the property. Matt and Samuel were helping Katie, Jake and their two friends clean up the staggering mess that had been made. Nobody talked much as the enormity of the situation sank in. Eventually Matt spoke. "Want to tell me what happened here?"

* * *

**_Flashback_ **

_"Katie, I think we have guests." Jake got out of the pool, dried off and pulled on a t-shirt. As he made his way to the front door, he could see a slew of guys standing on the front porch. Someone was ringing the doorbell constantly, and when Jake opened the door, he wasn't surprised to see Pete standing there. Behind him were more seniors from the soccer team and several varsity football players._

_Without asking, the teens all pushed their way past Jake and into the interior of the house. The guys who weren't carrying cases of beer had multiple bottles of alcohol. "Hey Mitchell. Thanks for hosting our Saturday party this week." Pete slapped him on the shoulder as he headed into the kitchen._

_"Pete – get the fuck out of here, and take all your friends."_

_The soccer captain raised his eyebrows. " **MY**  friends? Hey – they are your friends, too, Mitchell." He chuckled as he mixed himself a drink. "They'll especially be your friends after this party. You have a killer pad, and it shouldn't be wasted."_

_"My parents are going to kill me," Jake mumbled as he walked off. There were so many teenagers in his house, Jake didn't know what to do. Most of them were football and soccer boys, but there was a handful of girls, too. And they were all drinking._

_Katie, Julie and Jeremy were in an isolated corner, each with a pint of ice cream – nervously eating as they watched the fiasco unfold. teens who were well on their way to getting smashed. "What do I do?" Jake was almost sick to his stomach as he thought about how his mothers would react when they found out._

* * *

 

Jake finished telling Uncle Matty what had happened then sat back with his arms nervously crossed. Katie scooted over closer to her cousin and put her arm around his shoulder. "We didn't invite them Uncle Matty. We tried to get them to leave. I swear." Katie was as terrified as her cousin as to the impending consequences.

"You made a good decision by calling me Katie. I'm proud of you." Matt signed and ran his hands through his hair. "I just don't know where to go from here." He looked back and forth at the kids. "You know we have to tell your moms."

"No Uncle Matty, please?" Jake became frantic. "It wasn't our fault."

"I'm sorry Jake but we have to. But, I'll make a deal with you. All your mom's will be back on Monday. What if we plan a family meeting for Monday after school, and I let you two tell them? It's that or me letting them know without you getting to plead your case. Personally I think you made all the right choices. I think your parents will, too."

* * *

**_Several months later_ **

"Uncle Theo?" Jake stood timidly at the door of his mama's partner's office.

"Hey Jake! What's up? Are you looking for Beca? I think she's in studio. Come on in." He motioned the teenage boy into his office.

"Actually no. I came to talk to you." Jake shifted nervously on his feet as he tossed his hair back out of his eyes. "Do you have time to listen to something for me?" He shyly held out a USB drive.

Theo took the drive and examined it "What's this son?" He looked at the drive.

"It probably sucks Uncle Theo. It's just a song."

Theo raised his eyebrows. "A song? You write it?" Jake nodded. "You sing it?" Another nod. "Any production?"

"A bit. Nothing like my mom though." Jake was starting to regret coming to his uncle.

"Come on. Let's head to the studio. Believe me, I have learned to never underestimate a Mitchell when it comes to music." They headed into an open studio and played the demo.

* * *

The music started off with a strong, almost electronic beat. Jake's voice rang out.

_I knew some people who pretended like they love you/But they only wear that smile as long as they stay above you, I guess_  
_What a fuckin' mess_  
_I knew some people who painted a pretty picture/But everything falls apart and you find out who's really with you, I guess  
_ _And who's a fuckin' mess_

_When I start to see through/It's hard to believe you/I don't really need that/Took a while to see that_

_I had some fake ass friends (oh no)/They only pretend to like who I pretend to be/I had some fake ass friends (now I don't)/'Cause they only got half my back when I got what they need/Yeah, yeah  
_ _(They pretend and smile, but I saw what they're made of)/(If you don't give 'em what they want, they disappear, magic)/(They pretend and smile, but I saw what they're made of)/(They love you, they love you. No they don't)_

A female voice came in next. While Theo had never heard Katie sing before, he imagined the voice belonged to the blonde teen.

_I knew some people who pretend they got your back/Until you give 'em what they want and they disappear, fuckin' magic I guess_  
_What the heck?_  
_I knew some people who built up a reputation/But I gave 'em second chances until I saw what they're made of I guess  
_ _And they're a fuckin' mess_

_When I start to see through/It's hard to believe you/I don't really need that/Took a while to see that_

_I had some fake ass friends /They only pretend to like who I pretend to be/I had some fake ass friends (now I don't)/'Cause they only got half my back when I got what they need_

_Yeah, yeah_

Their voices combined as the chorus repeated a few more times.

* * *

After the song finished, Theo left his headphones on, thinking. Finally, he pushed his headphones off his ears so they fell to around his neck. He didn't say anything but just watched Jake. Jake's face turned red. "I know it sucked, and my mom would kill me if she heard the language."

"Did you write this after the party incident?" Jake nodded. "Your mom and Aubrey told me about it. Sucks that someone you were trying to be friends with did that to you."

"Uncle Theo? The song?"

"Oh, yeah. Well son what do you want to do with it?"

"Huh?" Jake was confused.

"I mean do you want to record it for real? Do you want to sell it? What?"

Jake grinned. "You liked it?"

Theo finally gave him the smile he'd been holding back. "Liked it? I love it! It's snappy, upbeat, and has a good message. Want the rest of my opinion?" Jake nodded. "I think you should let us shop it around and see how quickly we can sell this song. You are right about one thing – your moms and Katie's probably not enjoying you singing a song with this language, even though you are turning seventeen next month. Has Beca heard this?" Jake nervously shook his head. "Let me go find her."

Before Jake could protest, Theo was out the door. Jake quickly called Katie. "Oh my god Katie. I brought Uncle Theo the USB of our song." The blonde's squealing about shattered his ear drums. "He loved it. He says we have a good chance at selling it. He's gone to get my mom." He paused for a bit as he listened to his cousin. "I know, right. I'll call you back in a bit."

Soon Theo returned with Beca in tow. She was surprised to see her son in the studio. "Hey Jake, what are you doing here?" She reached up to give her son a hug. "Not that I mind, but your Uncle Theo wants me to listen to a song that came into today – one he thinks has promise as a sell."

"Mind if I listen?" Jake was much calmer since he knew his Uncle Theo loved the song. Beca agreed to let her son stay in the studio.

The beat and words made Beca start to dance a bit as she listened. Once the song was over, she was smiling. "Catchy. Voices sound familiar but I can't place them Theo. But I love this song. And the writer wants to sell and not record it himself? Both the singers were pretty good."

"We are selling this one Beca."

"I bet I could convince them to record." The tiny producer really wanted the singers who had sent in the demo.

"No mom. You can't. Their mom's don't let them curse like that, at least not in public." Jake was laughing.

Beca whipped her head around to look at her son. "This? This is your song?" He grinned. "You singing?"

"Yeah and Katie. I know we about to be seventeen, but Uncle Theo said that you guys probably would rather us sell the song." Jake's explanation was cut off as his mom wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I'm so proud of you Jake. I think this calls for a Posen – Mitchell dinner tonight to share the news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fake Ass Friends: Dustin Atlas, Erin Bowman


	22. Off to College

**_June before Senior Year_ **

Jake and Katie had college applications and essays spread all over the table in one of the studio conference rooms. Jake pushed back from the table and ran his hands through his hair. "UGH, I hate this stuff Katie. It's worse than shampooing your hair. Wash. Rinse. Repeat." He dramatically threw his arm over his eyes.

"Jacob Preston. This is your future you're talking about. Look, it's easy." Katie slid over a stack of checklists. "There's one for each university I'm applying to. Mom made them for me."

"You just called me by my full name? Seriously Katherine Grace? And Aunt Aubrey is organized waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much for me. Stresses me out." He started to flip through the sheets reading the places his cousin was applying to. "Wow – you are applying to some interesting schools here Katie. University of Texas – go Horns. Auburn – WAR EAGLE! Barden University – hey, I applied there, too."

Katie kicked him under the table. "I know goofy. I proofread your essay for you. Where else did you apply?"

She listened as he ticked off where all he was sending in applications. "I really hope I get into University of Seattle." Katie's face immediately turned into a frown. "Come on K, you know that's where my mama went to school  _and_  Uncle Theo. They obviously have an excellent music production program."

"But it's sooooo far away Jake." The blonde looked at her best friend with a forlorn look on her face. "Your mom went to Barden, and so did mine. If we BOTH went there, we could stay together."

Jake wiggled his eyebrows. "We'll see cousin-friend of mine. Let's hold off until we see where all we get accepted. But you have to promise me that we make sure that our symbiotic relationship doesn't turn into parasitism!"

"I got your parasite." Katie kicked him firmly in the shin.

* * *

**_Senior Year_ **

College applications were submitted; campus visits completed. Now all that was left was the waiting. Senior year was well under way, and both kids were busier than ever with their school activities. Despite last year's soccer captain being a total jerk, Jake had gotten extremely serious with the sport. Even though he sent in film and had his coach make calls, he knew he probably wouldn't get recruited to play collegiate level. But soccer was important to him, second only to music. He spent a lot of time at his mother's studio learning more about the craft of producing music. Regardless of where he chose to go to school, he should be way ahead of his peers.

Katie and Julie lead the dance squad for their final year. The blonde did not have as clear cut of a direction for her future as Jake. Her indecision was driving Aubrey insane as the older blonde had her life planned out when she entered middle school. Stacie spent a lot of time assuring her wife that their daughter would make the right decisions. "Remember Aubrey, the middle school you certainly didn't include marrying a woman! Or your high school you. Or hell, even your college you. So give our daughter some slack. She'll come around." Eventually Katie announced that she was drawn towards business administration with a minor in fashion. Aubrey felt a lot more comfortable that she knew there was a direction in which to guide her daughter.

* * *

Beca got home from work to find her son sitting on the couch, staring at two thick envelopes laying on the coffee table. Jake wasn't moving, hadn't opened his mail, and was motionless. "Jake?" She sat next to him and picked up the envelopes.

He took them from her and put them back on the table. "Don't touch Mama."

Beca laughed. "Ummm okay son. What's going on?"

"They are both thick."

"Use your words son. Tell me more." He motioned to the envelopes. "And just what are those?"

Jake took in a deep breath and blew it out. "Letters from my number one and number two choices for college." He looked at his mom. "I think I need to wait for Katie, but if I wait for her, she's going to get upset." Beca forced her face to stay blank because frankly, she was confused at what her son was saying – which wasn't anything new, of course. He was a typical teenager. "If they were rejection letters, they'd be thin. But they aren't thin. They're thick. So I know I got in. And now I have to decide."

Realization dawned on Beca that he was struggling between deciding on what university to attend. She let him continue to sit there and process his feelings as she picked up the envelopes again. "Okay, Barden University – that's a good choice. Your mom would be happy." Beca looked at the second. "Wow, University of Seattle. Jacob, I didn't know you were applying. I could have helped you out son."

"I got in on my own merits, Ma." Jake was mumbling, still obviously miserable about the college letters, obviously torn between where he wanted to attend and loyalty to his cousin.

"No doubt about that Jake. I didn't mean it like that. I mean you wrote and sold a song last year. How many high school juniors have that on their college applications? I'm proud of you for getting accepted to both of these schools. Either will be a good decision. But you do know that this choice is  _yours_ , right? It's not mine. It's not your mom's. It's not Katie's. This is your future, and you have to live with your decisions."

About that time, Jake's phone buzzed. He looked at the screen and groaned. "What am I going to do Ma? Katie's on her way over, and she seems super excited. I bet she got letters, too."

"As I see it son, you have two choices. Make your decision and live with it. Or hide the letters and say you haven't gotten them yet – not that I condone lying. But in this case, think of it as buying yourself a little bit of extra time."

* * *

_**Day Before Freshman Move-In** _

"I can't believe our babies are all grown up and are headed off to college." Chloe had a despondent look on her face as she visited with her best friend. They were having their last Saturday girls' afternoon while their teenagers still lived at home.

Aubrey nodded. "I am surprised they both decided to go to Barden University. You'd think after doing everything together for eighteen years, they'd be sick of each other."

The redhead hooked her arm through the blonde's. "We've known each other for twenty-seven years. Oh my god. Twenty-seven years Aubrey! And I could never get tired of being around you." She leaned her head against Aubrey's arm, secure in the comfort her best friend always provided.

"Stacie had said that Jake was hard set on going to University of Seattle. Katie was upset about it for weeks. Suddenly after they came back from Europe, he changed his mind to Barden. I wonder why?" The friends were quiet for a moment. "You don't think…" Aubrey shook her head and shuddered slightly. "No, they are like brother and sister."

Chloe took advantage of her best friend being off guard with her thoughts to tease her. "I mean, it's not a stretch Bree. We hear all the time of people falling in love with their childhood friends." She gently hip-checked her best friend. "Besides, you know, one of my biggest regrets is that I didn't do enough experimenting in college."

"Stop that." Aubrey lightly slapped the redhead on her arm. "Honestly, it doesn't matter. They are both adults now and can make their own choices. Regardless, I'm glad Jake will be there with Katie to take care of her. I feel safer knowing that. He's always been there for her." Aubrey squeezed her friend's arm. "Can you believe it? College!"

* * *

**_Flashback to Senior Trip_ **

_Katie, Jake, and several of their friends planned a last hurrah trip to celebrate their graduation from high school. This would be their last taste of so called freedom without adult responsibilities before starting college classes in the fall. They took a three-week trip through parts of Europe to include Greece, Italy, Spain, France, and many of the other countries in between._

_Katie wrapped her arm around her best friend's waist as they wandered through the smaller canals off of the main tourist paths in Venice. She was delighted in the countless small cafes at which they could stop for coffee or even wine if they so wished. "This is just so… relaxing Jake. Don't you think?"_

_He gave a non-committal grunt which was close enough to agreement for the blonde. As they wrapped back around and approached the main canal, Katie stopped short and faced her friend. "Can we please go on a gondola ride Jake? Please?"_

_Jake rolled his eyes as he responded. "Seriously? A gondola ride in Venice? That's just so cliché and super-touristy Katie." He loved teasing her because she always got so bent out of shape like his Aunt Aubrey. He was so much like his mama who enjoyed teasing both the blonde Posens from time to time._

_Katie stuck out her lower lip and drew from her best pouty voice. "Jacob Preston Mitchell. I am in Venice, Italy with my best friend. My visit will **not** be complete without a gondola ride. And  **you**  are going to take me on one." She poked him in the chest, turned and walked over to the gondolier to purchase tickets. She called over her shoulder. "And for your insolence Jacob Preston, I am making you ride one with just me."_

_Once the friends settled comfortably in the middle portion of the boat and the gondolier started the journey, Jake had to admit the ride was well worth the time, especially if it made Katie happy. Gliding through serene waters, the gondolier began to serenade the couple against the stunning backdrop of Baroque buildings._

_Despite the blanket draped across their lap, the cool evening air caused Katie to slightly shiver. Jake naturally draped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him. As they approached the drop off spot, Jake motioned to the gondolier to extend the trip. He was cozy with Katie and wasn't quite ready for the experience to end._

_Eventually the duo ended their trip, and the gondola pulled up to the dock. Jake crawled out and reached his hand down to help Katie out of the boat. He pulled her up and right into his chest. The teens were about the same height and ended up almost nose to nose. Jake didn't let go of Katie's hands and just locked eyes with her as both teens froze. After a few moments, Katie broke the stare by ducking her chin to her chest as Jake pulled her into his torso where they stayed for a few moments._

_The two friends walked hand in hand to the restaurant they had decided to meet their friends at for dinner. Somehow the atmosphere had shifted between them during the boat ride. The physical closeness they shared didn't seem quite as innocent as before. While neither acted on what they were possibly feeling, Jake now knew there was no way he could move all the way to the west coast and leave Katie in Atlanta._

* * *

On freshman move-in day, both families made the trip to Aubrey and Chloe's alumni university. Despite being local, Jake and Katie both wanted to live in the dorms to 'get the full college experience'. Knowing this was an important part of growing up, none of the parents had an issue with the arrangement.

Stacie and Beca went with Jake to settle him in his dorm room. Jake was afraid Chloe would embarrass him with her over-exuberance about reminiscing of her college years with Aunt Bree. Plus, his Aunt Stacie was just cool. That left Aubrey and Chloe to take Katie who was much more tolerant of her high-strung perfectionist mother and her constant companion, Aunt Chloe. She thought it was neat that her freshman year would be spent in the same dorm as her mom, granted it had been totally redesigned – but still nifty. The four mothers agreed to meet in the outdoor mall in about forty-five minutes where the activities fair was happening after getting their kids settled.

Aubrey took her time walking her daughter to her dorm, Baker Hall, pointing out all the traditional buildings which were there twenty some odd years ago along with the new buildings. When they finally got to Katie's dorm, her crates of belongings were already neatly stacked on her side of the room. Of course, Aubrey had helped Katie pack, so all the girl's things were perfectly organized and ready to be slid into place in the room.

Katie's roommate hadn't gotten there yet, so she said she wanted to wait for her roommate to decorate. "I am going to be living with her for the next year of my life. I need to make the effort to get to know her." The three headed down to the outdoor mall area to wander around the activities fair.

* * *

Beca walked next to her son who easily four inches taller than her but not quite as tall as his aunt. Jake consulted the map that had been thrust into his hand when they got out of the car by some ditzy looking chick handing out rape whistles to the incoming freshmen girls. "Sorry I don't know the grounds better son. I guess we could have brought your mom."

The lanky redheaded boy groaned. "That's okay Mama. We're bad-asses and will find it just fine on our own. If not, there are plenty of cute girls I can ask." He nudged his mother in the shoulder. "Be my wingman?"

Beca laughed. "Careful son. Last time I played wingman, I met your mom!" Jake made a gagging noise like every time he did when either of his moms talked about anything even borderline romantic. "Don't knock it; one of these days, you'll understand."

Eventually the trio found their way to Jake's dorm, checked in for his key and freshman orientation packet, and went up to his room. When they entered, his roommate had obviously been there a while already. Half of the room had been transformed into a sci-fi museum. There was a life-sized Darth Vader cut out, a twenty-sided die chair, a Battlestar tribute wall, and a big box with swords sticking through it. A young man was repositioning the box when he turned to see his new roommate and the two women enter.

He motioned to his stuff. "Looking at it now, I can see that it's a lot. I'll tone it down." He looked nervous. "Just so you know, I'm not a total nerd. I also happen to be super into close-up magic." He pulls a hamster out of his sleeve.

"How long was that little guy in there?" The redhead offered his hand. "I'm Jake."

"Benji. And this feller here is Harry." Benji scurried over to the window and deposited the hamster into his cage the returned to shake his new roommate's hand.

Jake's stuff was sitting in the middle of his half of the room. He flopped down on the twin bed. "Not bad digs."

Stacie unstacked a few of the crates and opened the lids. "Come on Jake, let's get you unpacked so we can meet the girls on time." The redhead boy gave his aunt a sideways grin and reached into the bottom of one of the crates to pull out a button-down shirt. He tossed it into one of the open dresser drawers.

"Aunt Stacie, your job here is done."

All three of them laughed as Stacie said, "you definitely are your mother's son and I don't mean Chloe. Don't you dare tell Aunt Aubrey we didn't get you unpacked." Jake made a movement across his lips, zipping them shut.

* * *

As Stacie, Beca, and Jake approached the activities fair, the college boy saw a booth that said, "DJ". He took off ahead of the women. "Mama, check it out." When he got to the booth, he read that the organization was actually for "Deaf Jews".

A young man wearing a colorful kippah approached Jake to greet him. "Shalom." His words were understandable but stilted in a way that one could tell he was hearing impaired. Jake immediately began animatedly signing to the other student. They apparently were in a deep conversation, none of which Beca understood.

She leaned over to her tall friend. "Since when did my son learn sign language?"

Stacie laughed. "I think his science lab partner his last two years of high school was hearing impaired."

"Looks like Jake is excited. Okay, now why is the other boy waving his hands in the air?"

"If I'm not mistaken, he's clapping." The taller brunette was chuckling at her friend's confusion.

When Jake came back to his mom and aunt, Beca asked him what he and the other student were talking about.

"I told him that I thought his booth was for DJ's. He said they get that a lot, but get this - he loves music." Beca's face showed her skepticism. "We talked about some dope music with sick beats – some that he and his friends are really into."

"Wait Jake. I thought these guys were deaf. How can they like music?"

Her son rolled his eyes. "Seriously Mom? Not all people considered deaf are completely without their hearing. Plus, most of them can feel the beat and rhythms, especially if you have a kick ass, ummm butt, sorry, sound system that drops the bass real low. I just happen to know  _someone_  whose awesome mom let him bring his primo sound system to college."

Beca's chest swelled with pride at her son's reaction to the first set of university students he ran across. She knew how hard he and Katie had it growing up, having two moms each, and tried extremely hard to ensure he had tolerance of all types of people. She was pleased that he had developed such a strong passion for diversity and acceptance.

* * *

Benji caught up to his roommate about the time Jake caught sight of some women ogling a small group of guys sitting on a ledge. Jake's roommate motioned to the group. "As far as Barden goes, that's what being a man is all about." His voice had almost a dreamy quality to it. One of the boys blew an iPhone pitch pipe, and the boys suddenly rose and sang what had to be the gayest version of The Dazz Band's  _Let It Whip._  "The Treblemakers." Benji continued. "The rockstars of a cappella. The messiahs of Barden. Well, you know, not including athletes, frat guys or actual cool people."

"Organized nerd singing." Jake exclaimed. "Is this for real? I mean, my mom and aunt did this when they went to college here, but I thought it was only for girls. And my mom and aunt – believe me, they aren't nerds."

"You bet it's real."

Jake quietly joined the Trebles as they finished singing  _Let It Whip_. "Wow," Benji said. "Impressive singing abilities. You should try out."

Jake laughed and shook his head as he bounced a soccer ball off his head. "Yeah, maybe not in this lifetime." Despite not winning a soccer scholarship, he had made up his mind to try to get a walk-on spot on the team.

* * *

The sidewalk wasn't quite broad enough for the three women to walk abreast, so Katie walked slightly ahead of her mom and aunt as she looked at the different organizations offered by the university. The tall, blonde haired teen saw the one she'd been looking for. The women following her were deep in conversation, so she ran back to Chloe and said, "Stay here; I'll be right back."

Katie approached the group of girls handing out informational flyers. There were two main girls watching the Trebles when she walked up. Katie didn't see Jake with the boys but cleared her throat to get the girls' attention. When the two girls turned around, they smiled broadly at her. "Hi, I'm Katie."

"Hi! Any interest in auditioning for our a capella group?" She thrusts a flyer into Katie's hands. "We sing covers of songs but do it without any instruments. It all comes from our mouths."

Katie smiled and said, "I know what a capella is, and I know the Barden Bellas. I'm a legacy." The two girls looked confused. "Posen. I'm a Posen."

By now Chloe and Aubrey had stopped talking, greatly interested in Katie's interaction at the Bella booth. Aubrey leaned over to Chloe. "I didn't know she was interested in a capella."

"Poison?" The taller girl with a short bob turned her nose up at Katie.

Hearing this, Aubrey became infuriated and stomped over to the booth. "Aca-scuse me? Posen. P.O.S.E.N. She's a Barden Bella legacy. Her name is Katie Posen." The older blonde crossed her arms and glared at the Bella who had mispronounced their name.

Another Bella who had been watching from the corner gasped and ran over to the group. "Hi, I'm Juana." She then looked at Katie's mom. "Y-y-our Aubrey Posen." She looked at Chloe and stumbled back a few steps. "And you are Chloe Beale. O. M. Aca -G. 2012 ICCA champions, the first time an all-woman group ever won nationals."

Aubrey defrosted slightly as she added. "Don't forget about the 2015 A Cappella World Champions, first ever from the US." She directed her words at the Hispanic student who clearly knew her Bella history as she gave the more knowledgeable Bella a small smile.

Juana turned to the Bella who had been rude. "Lacy, these are two of the women whose pictures hang in our house. They changed the face of Bella competitions forever." She turned back to the tall blonde freshman. "Katie, we are honored that you want to try out for the Bellas this year." The rude girl and her friend wandered away to leave Juana and Katie to talk. After visiting a bit and extracting a promise Katie that she'd be at Bella auditions, the two girls exchanged phone numbers. Suddenly Juana grabbed Katie and pulled her in close to her face. "I can tell we are going to become fast friends."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't help but to pull the kids into PP! I want to thank everyone who has followed this story as well as left comments. While I realize I could have expanded this story in several places, I wanted a simple domestic story that just traced the next twenty years of the Mitchells and Posens.
> 
> There is an Epilogue waiting in the wings then we'll consider this one done.


	23. Epilogue

Aubrey, Stacie, Chloe, and Beca were a little more dressed up then the average audience members. Aubrey and Chloe were grasping hands as they excitedly located 'four perfect seats' so they could see the stage and everything happening. Stacie and Beca followed along behind them, trying to be supportive of their wives’ exuberance of their kids' final college performance.

As they got seated, Chloe turned and looked all around them. As she spotted the announcers, she whispered to her blonde friend. "You'd think they would retire by now!"

The foursome settled into their seats and began to watch the performances. Soon there were only a few teams left to execute their routines. Aubrey and Chloe both were anxious as they waited for the teams from Barden.

* * *

"This is exactly the type of performance you would expect to see at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella. Isn't that right Gail?"

"John, you're so right that everything else seems wrong. This is what the ICCA's are all about."

A woman with a headset came over and gave both announcers a sheet of paper. They took a few minutes to look over the announcement.

"What's this Gail? A change in line-up?"

The woman studied the paper a bit longer then looked at her co-announcer. "Two teams dropped out and were replaced by a single team. Can they do this?"

John began laughing. "I suppose we'll see what the judges have to say. This had better be good."

* * *

**_Flashback a week earlier_ **

_Katie pulled on her cousin's arm and pleaded. "Jake, pleaseeeeeeeeeee." He rolled his eyes as he looked over to his cousin's pouty face, a look she had perfected when she was quite young. "Just about **everyone**  got sick. The Trebles lost half their team, and so did the Bellas."_

_"You say that like it's my fault Katie. Who knew the dorm cafeterias would give people food-poisoning? But teaming up with the Bellas, the Trebles will **never**  go for that. You know the history. Plus we've been working on our routine for-ev-er."_

_The blonde Bella scoffed. "Like the Bellas are chomping at the bit to sing with you guys," she said haughtily. "But half of each our teams are still sick from dehydration, and none of them are in shape enough to practice. Plus, their voices are totally shot." She kissed him on his cheek while still holding onto his arm as she begged. "It's our senior year of college Jake. Don't we have a responsibility to Barden University to bring home another trophy?"_

_While Jake was still skeptical, he was definitely considering the possibilities. He thoughtfully said, "well, we **are**  the captains, and what we say pretty much goes." He nervously shifted his feet, finally making a decision, the only one that would make his best friend satisfied. "Okay, let's get the word out – team meeting in the pool in an hour."_

* * *

John made the announcement to the crowd. "Well everyone, it seems as though there was a last-minute change made to the line-up, and a petition submitted to the judges. We have only one last team to perform before the judges make their decisions on the petition and determine the winners of this year's ICCA's. Please welcome to the stage, the team from Barden University –  _The Barden Beats_!"

While the crowd was in shock, they politely clapped regardless. Everyone knew the reputation of the two a capella teams from Barden University and how the race between first and second places always came down to the all-male and all-female teams from the same school. This change-up was perplexing at best.

Chloe and Aubrey both gasped as they looked at each other with bewildered looks on their faces. They weren't sure what team they'd see on the stage – one that included Jake or the other involving Katie. Beca and Stacie sat outside of their perspective wives and were equally as confused despite not grasping the rivalry between the two groups quite as deeply. Stacie leaned into Aubrey. "Babe… you have to breathe Bree. Calm down and just breathe."

* * *

The lights dropped and shuffling on the stage designated the team getting onto their marks. There was a loud thump of something being dropped down on stage right along with some giggles before the stage grew quiet again.

As the lights came up, the singers were all dressed in bright, flashy clothes. The percussionists on either side of the group picked up a very familiar snare beat with some additional notes thrown with a strings sound. This song was an immediate hit, particularly with some of the older audience members who began dancing in their seats.

Jake was wearing a backwards baseball cap for some reason as he started out as lead, " _Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped turned upside down. And I'd like to take a minute, don't get blue, I'll tell you how I became the prince of Barden U._ " The guys all pointed at him as he flipped off his cap and threw it into the audience.

The girls moved in front of the boys, and Katie stepped up.  _"In West Atlanta, born and raised, on the ranch is where I spent most of my days. As I grew up, I knew my moms were cool. Despite the history here, they let me come to this school."_

Each team sang together at this point. " _Of course both our teams made it to the finals, who'd a doubt by the way we scratch the vinyl. Then half our homies had to go and get sick. Left us having to come up with some tricks."_ They motioned to the whole crew. " _And now it's arch rivals sitting on our throne, making the best of it so Barden doesn't get thrown._ "

As quickly as that song started, it stopped. The lights dropped, and the percussionists gave three drum beats. The stage lights flipped up to show four boys stage left and four girls stage right.

The beat started off very similar to the Fresh Prince of Bellaire. Katie started out singing. " _Drop top Porsche._ " The other girls chimed in as she waved around her paint brush prompt.  ** _Porsche_**  " _Rollie on my wrist_."  ** _Wrist_**  Katie pointed to her wrist. _"Diamonds up and down my chain_   ** _aha_** _."_ The boys seemed content to let the girls have their spotlight in center stage for a bit while they did their thing. They played background percussion, bounced their legs and lightly tapped their feet.

Then the boy's time to shine came. The girls ran over to short platform stage that had been dropped off to the side and jumped up on the small dais. The boys were popping their chest as Jake sang. " _Ooh, don't we look good together? There's a reason why they watch all night long (all night long). Yeah, I know we'll turn heads forever (forever). So tonight, I'm gonna show you off._ "

Katie leapt from the stage and positioned herself in front of her cousin in a way that made all their mothers' mouth gape open. Jake danced behind his cousin with her butt smashed into his crotch like they hadn't been raised together as cousins their entire lives.  _"When I'm walkin' with you/I watch the whole room change/Baby, that's what you do/No, my baby, don't play/Blame it on my confidence/Oh, blame it on your measurements/Shut that shit down on sight/That's right"_

Aubrey breathed a sigh of relief when her little girl jumped back up on the platform as the boys continued to serenade and sing with the different female singers on the short stage. The students singing percussion from each team had made their way face to face on stage as the battled with their noises. The ending of their set could hardly be heard with all the noise from the crowd. As soon as the eight kids took their bows, the four mothers of the captains were on their feet yelling and screaming at the top of their lungs for their kids, loudest of them all.

* * *

Katie and Jake came breathlessly running into the audience to find their parents in the crowd. Both were talking a million miles an hour as sweat was pouring off their bodies. "Did you like it? Did you?" As excited as they were, the anxiety of awaiting their parents' approval still made them nervous.

Chloe about knocked her son over with one of her Chloe-sized hugs which told him all he needed to know. Aubrey looked at Katie with a straight face. "Singing with the Trebles? Seriously?" Katie's happy face immediately dropped until Stacie shoved her wife's shoulder. "We absolutely LOVED it." Aubrey's smile extended from ear to ear as she gave her mini-me a hug. Katie's expression transformed to one of extreme joy.

* * *

"Well wasn't that quite the performance Gail?"

"Indeed it was John. A little hot downtown, if you know what I mean. Now we have to wait for the judges."

Anticipating the judges' decision was excruciating. Granted they did have to consider the petition before even deciding which team won the championship, the wait was longer than expected. By now, the crowd and other teams had heard what happened to the other half of the Bella and Treblemaker teams. While they had empathy and expressed their condolences to the Barden Beats, each other team secretly hoped that the petition would be denied. Because if the petition held, there was no beating that routine.

Finally, the time had come. The head judge had decided to not read the decision of the plea to the audience, only announce the results. "This year in third place, please join me in congratulating Berklee College of Music's  _Pitch Slapped_." The team came up to get their trophies and accepted the applause. "In second place this year, let's give it up for Brigham Young University's,  _Noteworthy_." The BYU singers came racing up and were excited to be in the top three.

"And finally, the moment we've all been waiting for. This year's ICCA champions, drum roll please…" All of the teams gave percussion sounds and stomped their feet. "Barden University's,  _Barden_   _Beats_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fresh Prince of Bellaire: Will Smith  
> Finesse: Bruno Mars with Cardi B
> 
> As I was finishing the epilogue for Garbage Collector, I wrote this epilogue. Literally the first chapter completed! I'm glad I finally got here and could share it with you. I love these two songs and feel they mash together quite well.
> 
> Thanks again for reading and I'd love to hear your reaction.


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